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Western conference team reports, exclusively on InsideHoops.com, includes Wednesday's games.

DALLAS MAVERICKS: The Mavericks seem to have had an advantage for Wednesday's game vs. the Los Angeles Lakers. Winners of four in a row and six of seven since a home loss to the Warriors on December 14, the Mavericks had two days off since Sunday's 123-104 win over the Bucks. The Mavericks have played seven of their previous eight games against losing teams and in the one game against a winning team, Dallas routed the 16-15 Knicks. Despite the favorable schedule, coach Don Nelson was dissatisfied and was looking forward to the games vs. the Lakers and Pacers. "When you play bad teams, you can develop bad habits," Nelson told the Dallas Morning News. "Then, as the teams get better, which the Lakers are a better team and Indiana is an even better team than that, you have to be able to play at a higher level. That's my message to this team: 'You can't be satisfied with a 20-point win and scoring 120 points. If a better team comes in and you play at that same level, you're going to get beat." ... One of the good things to emerge from Sunday's win was second-year forward Josh Howard, who has been the team's top defender. Howard had just four double-doubles as a rookie but already has nine following his 25-point, 13-rebound showing Sunday. Howard drew the assignment on Lakers guard Kobe Bryant Wednesday but allowed him to score 32 points after holding Milwaukee's Michael Redd to 18 and Boston's Paul Pierce to 17. ... Since Jason Terry has assumed the starting point guard job, the Mavs are 6-1 and in Wednesday's 118-104 victory, he scored a season-high 28 points on 9-of-10 shooting. ... Dirk Nowitzki averaged 27.2 points, including a 53-point effort December 2 vs. Houston and was named Western Conference player of the month. ... The Mavericks have won three in a row over the Lakers for the first time since December 20, 1986 to January 24, 1987. ... Dallas has scored over 100 points in five straight games, averaging 112.2 in that span. ... Guard Marquis Daniels missed his third straight game with a sprained left ankle.

DENVER NUGGETS: The Michael Cooper began with a come-from-behind win vs. the Sixers on Friday, snapping Denver's season-high six-game losing streak. The Nuggets, who blew an 18-point lead in Philadelphia on December 14, rallied from 11 points down for a 97-92 victory. The team signed a basketball for him afterward and Cooper was high-fiving players during the comeback, something that reserve center Francisco Elson found enjoyable. "It's a different style," Elson told the Rocky Mountain News. "He's not always up and screaming. We just came out and had a new idea. It's 2005, a new era right now." However, the euphoria of the victory was halted with Sunday's 99-91 loss in Los Angeles to the Lakers and Monday's 102-98 loss to the LA Clippers. Sunday's game marked the return of Cooper to Los Angeles, where he was a key cog on the Lakers dynasty of the 1980s and coached the WNBA's LA Sparks. He was greeted with cheers of 'Coop, Coop' from fans then watched Kobe Bryant score 42 on his team. Cooper is still the interim coach and will be at least this week according to general manager Kiki Vandeweghe, who told the Rocky Mountain News before Sunday's game "We won't do anything until after this week. "Just a couple of things. We want to wait until our owner (Stan Kroenke) gets back in town (from vacation) and we're going to talk to a couple (of candidates). That might be this week or the week after." ... Forward Carmelo Anthony is shooting just 32.8 percent (22-of-67) in three games since returning from an ankle injury. ... Forward Nene is averaging 17.3 points and 12 rebounds in his last three games and his agent Michael Coyne believes he should remain in the starting lineup ... The Nuggets have played their last two games without Marcus Camby (strained back) and guard Greg Buckner (groin). Forward Kenyon Martin returned from missing two games with a strained back scored 11 points and grabbed five rebounds in 28 minutes and Monday finished with with 10 points and eight rebounds in 30 minutes. Point guard Andre Miller sat out the final 8:06 and has played just over 10 minutes in the fourth quarter since Cooper took over. Miller kept his comments short but Martin's appeared more forceful - "Coach's decision, man. That's just the way the game was going, " Martin told the Rocky Mountain News. "I don't know. You're all digging too deep, man. You're all looking for a problem. Cut it out. Unless you all want a problem and I'll give you one." ... On Wednesday, Cooper admitted he made a mistake in leaving Miller on the bench Monday. "I will chalk that up as my blame because Andre's very, very important in keeping us steady and his defensive presence," he told the Rocky Mountain News. "There's nothing other than that going on. I haven't lost faith in him. I definitely believe in him, but I'm in the game - in the moment. That's where I just have to be a little more aware and cognizant of who I have on the floor and who I have to get out there." ... With four days in between games, the Nuggets could get Camby and Buckner back Saturday in San Antonio, giving them 12 available players for the first time since December 17. ... Denver has faced a double-digit deficit in eight straight games.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: Ineptitude at the foul line has doomed the Warriors and possibly prevented them from a six-game winning streak and 14-18 record entering their four-game road trip. In Monday's 112-104 loss to the 76ers, they were 17-of-26 from the line, two nights after going 13-of-23 from the line in a 97-88 loss at Portland. ... During their four-game winning streak, the Warriors were 76.7 percent (86-of-112) from the line. ... On the season, Golden State enters the trip shooting just 71.1 percent from the line and after going 11-of-20 from the line in Wednesday's 84-83 loss, the Warriors have missed at least five foul shots in 29 games this season. ... The Warriors were down to nine players Monday as guard Jason Richardson's and his 20.8 points missed his second straight game with a sprained left ankle. Shooting guard Mickael Pietrus also sat out with a right ankle sprain and Eduardo Najera was placed on the injured list with left knee pain. Both Richardson and Pietrus sat out Wednesday. Richardson is expected to have an MRI Thursday but appears unlikely to play Friday in New Jersey. Without him, the Warriors have shot 21-of-61 in their last three fourth quarters. Prior to Monday's game, the Warriors acquired Serbian power forward Zarko Cabarkapa for a pair of conditional second-round draft picks. Although playing time has been limited, he has been decent in his 52 games although the Contra Coast Times reported Monday "he has been tentative in coming back from a wrist injury". He joined the team in Boston and played one minute. "From my understanding he's a very skilled player," coach Mike Montgomery told the Contra Coast Times. "There's always place on your team for a guy like that. Talent never hurts you. We'll find a place for talent." ... Veteran center has not played in the last six games and will be out at least five more after getting placed on the IL Tuesday with a sore back. The team also waived Ansu Seasy following Monday's game, making room for rookies Luis Flores and 18-year-old big man Andris Biedrins, a Latvian native, who has been limited to three games with a strained left hamstring. ... Forward Troy Murphy's 15 points and 16 rebounds Wednesday gave him eight straight double-doubles.

HOUSTON ROCKETS: The Rockets had won three in a row for the third time this season but were handed an 108-98 loss to the red-hot Suns. In previous attempts at a fourth straight win, they lost by 24 to Dallas and five points to Minnesota. In their last 11 games, the Rockets are 7-4 with nine of the games against sub-500 opposition. During that span, they have averaged 97.8 points and forward Tracy McGrady has topped the 20-point mark each time. ... Center Yao Ming missed Friday's win over the Bucks with the flu but was inspired by a talk with coach Jeff Van Gundy and returned to score 15 points in Sunday's 99-80 win over the Jazz. Coach told me before the game that Michael Jordan played sick against Utah and scored 38, so it gave me something to measure," Yao said to the Houston Chronicle. "He has very high expectations of me, and I couldn't give up on that." ... Forward Juwan Howard recorded his first double-double of the season Sunday, finishing with 14 points and 12 rebounds and effectively guarded Carlos Boozer following Maurice Taylor's ejection. ... Guard Bob Sura scored a season-high 24 points Sunday and became the first Rocket other than McGrady and Yao to make 10 field goals as he shot 10-of-14. Both players were unable to produce another solid performance as Howard finished with eight points and Sura shot 1-of-7 and scored just two points. ... Guard Jon Barry scored a season-high 14 points Wednesday.

LA CLIPPERS: The Clippers have appeared to recover from their six-game losing streak and have won five of their last eight games, with all but two coming against losing teams. However, looking at their upcoming schedule, another losing streak could be coming. The Clippers play nine of their next 11 games against some of the NBA's elite, with home-and-home sets against Seattle and Sacramento, visits to San Antonio and Dallas on back-to-back nights as well as home dates vs. Phoenix and Miami. After Wednesday's win over Portland, the Clippers are at 16-15, putting them over .500 for the just the fourth time in the last 21 seasons after December. The win that put them at .500 was Monday's 102-98 win at Denver, which featured a 22.5 shooting percentage in the second half and a blown 18-point lead. The win also was their first in 28 tries dating to last season against Western Conference playoff teams from 2003-04. ... We don't even think about that stuff," forward Elton Brand told the LA Times. "We just see our opponent as our opponent. We don't see it as, 'Oh, they made the playoffs last year,' because this is a new team and it's a new year. You see things like, 'The Clippers haven't beaten this team in 19 years,' or whatever. … It doesn't matter to us." ... If you thought that win featured some inept stuff, take a look at Sunday's 89-83 win over Philadelphia. They committed a season-high 28 turnovers, and almost wasted a 24-point lead. "Hey, baby, I don't know anything about no ugly wins," coach Mike Dunleavy joked to the LA Times. ... Already without guards Shaun Livingston, Marko Jaric and Kerry Kittles, the Clippers were dealt another blow when Chris Wilcox was declared out indefinitely with a stress reaction in his lower right leg. As for Livingston, he took part in light drills Tuesday but isn't rushing back. Jaric's status is worse as he was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right foot that will sideline him for virtually of January. ... On Wednesday, the Clippers inked guard Darrick Martin to a 10-day contract.

LA LAKERS: The Lakers made their first visit to San Antonio since Derek Fisher's game-winning shot in Game Five of last spring's Western Conference semifinals but ran into a buzzsaw and were handed a 100-83 loss, denying them a season-high third straight win. Before being held to 17 points Tuesday, guard Kobe Bryant scored 40 points in three straight games, joining Elgin Baylor and Jerry West as the only players in the LA era to accomplish the feat. But Tuesday, Bryant shot just 5-of-16, watched his team fall behind by 29 points en route to their fourth loss by 15 points or more. But off the court the news was just as bad. Injured center Vlade Divac got news that he should consider seeking a back specialist and seeked a second opinion Wednesday that suggested back surgery. The only good news was Bryant enjoyed the postgame spread. "At least they fed us after the game," he told the LA Times. "They've got the USC game on here [in the locker room] to make us feel real good. I had me some German chocolate cake, carrot cake, parmesan chicken, vegetable lasagna. It feels good." ... After Tuesday's game, the Lakers were just as bad in a 118-104 loss at Dallas as Bryant scored 32 points but none in the first quarter as the Lakers dropped to 0-12 when allowing 100 points. ... Following Sunday's win over Denver, Bryant shrugged off the notion that Denver coach Michael Cooper had managed to teach DerMarr Johnson how to keep him in check. A day after finishing with 42 points, he said to the Times - "If that's keeping me in check, wait until the next time. If I go nuts [in the Jan. 12 rematch], then what's going to happen?" ... Forward Caron Butler did not practice Monday due to flu-like symptons and finished with seven points Tuesday, marking just the fourth time in his last 19 games he failed to score double figures. ... After being a DNP-CD in his previous four games, power forward Slava Medvedenko scored a season-high 16 points Tuesday.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: Considering all they have gone through so far, injuries and three coaches, the Grizzlies take a 16-17 record into Thursday's game at Detroit. That is the same mark through 33 games as last season when they won 50 games. They went 16-5 over their next 21 games last season to get well above .500. ... Forward Pau Gasol has scored at least 20 points in every game of the Grizzlies' season-high four-game winning streak and Monday was named Western Conference player of the Week.Gasol collected 25 and 10 rebounds in Monday's win over the Jazz, which was Memphis' fourth straight home win. He is shooting 65 percent during this run and in his last two third quarters has shot 12-of-12. "I certainly think that I have the ball longer, and I feel like I have more power now offensively," Gasol told the Memphis Commerical-Appeal. "(Fratello) has put the ball in my hands a lot so I can create for myself and my team. That gives me more confidence." G Bonzi Wells intially struggled as a reserve, averaging 6.1 points in his first eight games but has averaged 18 in his last four. ... Forward Shane Battier started for the third time in fifth games and tied a season high with 18 points. His name has been mentioned in possible trade talks for Baron Davis, according to the Commerical-Appeal. ... Forward James Posey is questionable for Thursday after limping through practice. ... Forward Brian Cardinal returned from missing 19 games with a right foot injury and played 22 minutes. But he sprained his right shoulder and is expected to be out 10 days. ... Center Lorenzen Wright needs 15 points for 5,000 in his career.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES: These are frustrating times for the Timberwolves, who have a four-game losing streak following Wednesday's 102-84 loss at Charlotte. They have lost six of seven and six in a row on the road for the first time since March 2001. Like almost everyone else, the Wolves are wondering what they have to do to beat the Suns. Despite 47 points from superstar Kevin Garnett, they were handed a 122-115 loss. They even managed to get Amare Stoudemire ejected as Latrell Sprewell had the ball thrown at him. Afterwards Sprewell addressed his teammates privately and explained it to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "I said we have to play that way for 48 minutes," he said. "That was it." ... Garnett's 47 points broke the team record set by Tony Campbell and matched by Wally Szczerbiak. ... If the Wolves thought Tuesday's loss was bad, how about the the loss in Charlotte Wednesday that dropped their record to 1-7 on the road vs. the East. ... OVer the final 4:44, the Wolves were outscored 22-4 and allowed 35 fourth-quarter points. "KG and I said [in the trainer's room], it's like a bad dream, man," Szczerbiak told the Star Tribune "We've got to wake up pretty soon." ...After the bench averaged 38.2 points December 8-17, it has averaged 21.9 in the last seven games and has gotten less than 30 in each game. ... The 38 first quarter points allowed Tuesday were the most since April 18, 2001 when Dallas had 39. ... The 122 points given up to Phoenix were the most in a regulation game since they allowed 125 to the Kings on December 28, 2001. ... Center Michael Olowokandi missed Saturday's loss to Memphis with a bruised right knee but returned Tuesday and played 11 scoreless minutes before getting seven points in 22 minutes. ... Sprewell scored six points Tuesday and four points Wednesday and is shooting 43-of-107 in his last 11 games.

NEW ORLEANS HORNETS: The losing streak is three weeks old and nine games following Wednesday's loss to Chicago. Wednesday's loss was the first time in eight games the Hornets did not allow 100 points but were outscored, 18-11 down the stretch missing nine of 10 3-point attempts in the final eight-plus minutes, prompting another blunt comment from coach Byron Scott to the New Orleans Times Picayune. "You've got to play smart," Scott said. "That's the bottom line. You can't play like it's 106th and 4th Avenue where I grew up. You can't play like it's the playground. That's the bottom line. ... Before the 95-89 loss, the skid appeared to have a decent chance of ending Monday in Boston after a decent first half. But the Hornets were outscored, 62-44, in the second half en route to an 108-90 loss and Scott was very blunt in his assessment to the New Orleans Times Picayune. "I just thought we played like crap in the second half," he said. "We allowed them to get us out of the things that got us pretty good shots in the first half. Defensively, we were all over the place, not picking up guys, not communicating. ... Scott also directed his comments at the lack of mental toughness. "The bottom line is, you need guys who are mentally tough," he said to the Times Picayune. "I want a bunch of pit bulls. I want guys who will grab, hold, not let go and play hard. I don't want a bunch of Chihuahuas. They don't grab and hold, and if they do, people just throw them around anyway. That's the mentality you got to have -- you can be a pit bull or a Chihuahua. And right now, we got a bunch of guys that are Chihuahuas." ... After coming off the bench in his first four games back from the injured list, guard Baron Davis started and scored 18 points in 29 minutes. ... Forward Rodney Rogers returned from the IL following a knee injury that cost him 24 games and scored 10 points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes. On Monday, the Hornets were deadlocked at 46 at halftime, marking just the sixth time they have not trailed through 24 minutes.

PHOENIX SUNS: Forward Amare Stoudemire scored 50 points Sunday vs. Portland and like almost every other player that gets 50, he claimed he had no idea about. He is the sixth-youngest player to do and youngest since Allen Iverson on April 12, 1997. "I wasn't even thinking about it," Stoudemire told the Arizona Republic. "I think I heard one of the fans say 46 and that's when I thought about it. But I wasn't really pressing to try and get 50 points. It just came to me in the flow of the game." ... Stoudemire followed up that outing by scoring 34 in Tuesday's 122-115 win at Minnesota. He likely would have had 40 but was ejected with just over five minutes remaining for throwing the ball at Latrell Sprewell. ... Stoudemire's 84 points in his last two games are the most by a Sun over two games since Tom Chamber put in 96, March 20-24, 1990. ... C Steven Hunter played 23 minutes Tuesday, 21 Wednesday in Houston and has played at least 20 minutes in three straight games for the first time this season. "He's earned more time," coach Mike D'Antoni told the Arizona Republic. "We don't have to double team as much with Steven on the floor, and he seems to be playing well with Amaré. ... Backup point guard Leoandro Barbosa did not play due to chicken pox and center Jake Voskuhl played just one minute in his first game off the injured list. ... After concluding December with a 13-2 mark, D'Antoni was named Western Conference coach of the month. Including an award for the "Gorilla", the team mascot and another from community service, the Suns have captured nine indivdual honors. ... G Quentin Richardson set a team record with 17 3-point attempts. ... Wednesday marked the first annivesary of the blockbuster Stephon Marbury trade that cleared salary cap space for the signings of Richardson and point guard Steve Nash. "I was excited only in the magnitude of the trade financially and the opportunity to have a rebirth of the team," team president and general manager Bryan Colangelo told the Republic. "The basketball staff and the coaching staff were ecstatic but it's tough to show that emotion knowing there were a lot of skeptics. It was tough to sell that story because it was perceived as spin."

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS: Virtually each time a Portland defender looked up Sunday he saw Amare Stoudemire dunking and setting pick-and-rolls en route to 50 points in Phoenix. Stoudemire scored 18 of his points via dunks and had little problems against Zach Randolph and Shareef Abdur-Rahim, the only line of defense down low. "It was everything. We weren't trusting each other or helping each other out," Abdur-Rahim told the Portland Oregonian. "I mean, it doesn't take a lot to dunk. But 50 points is 50 points. That's a helluva night." ... Abdur-Rahim returned to the starting lineup Saturday following a five-game absence with a hyperextended elbow and scored 26 points against the Warriors but the elbow flared up Sunday and he missed Wednesday's 102-98 loss to the LA Clippers. A doctor in LA looked at the elbow and diagnosed him with irritation casued by a floating body but not structural damage. Due to injuries to Zach Randolph and Theo Ratliff, Darius Miles remained a starter. He scored just six points Saturday but bounced back with 25 Sunday before injuring his left knee with 2:43 remaining Wednesday. ... Randolph missed Saturday's game with a right knee injury but returned Sunday and scored 22 points but finished with a season-low 10 Wednesday. ... Ratliff missed two games with a shoulder injury and scored nine points Wednesday Wednesday at the Clippers. ... Rookie guard Sebastian Telfair scored a career-high 14 points Saturday as he played 24 minutes. Telfair posted back-to-back double figure games Dec 5-9 but had totaled just 19 points in his previous six games. ... Second-year small forward Travis Outlaw blocked a career-high five shots Saturday and guard Nick Van Exel likened him to be a "generic Scottie Pippen".

SACRAMENTO KINGS: The Kings began their road schedule with losses in the dreaded "Texas Triangle" and in suprising Seattle. But they have won eight of their last 10 on the road, including Tuesday's 105-98 victory in New York, which snapped a seven-game losing streak there. The Kings previous win at the Garden was a 119-111 victory on January 13, 1996 when it got 32 points from Mitch Richmond, 26 from Walt Williams and 25 from Brian Grant. ... Forward Chris Webber scored 22 points, including a pair of clutch jumpers in crunch time. The streak might have ended in previous seasons but Webber had played just twice in New York since joining the Kings in 1998 due to various ailments. ... But the highlight of the night was 6-5 shooting guard Maurice Evans, who scored a career-high 16 points and held Knicks guard Stephon Marbury to one point in the fourth quarter. Evans played in Italy last season and there is no mention of him in the Kings media guide. "I stayed with Maurice because he was making Marbury work," Adelman told the Sacramento Bee. "He was able to stay in front of him and made him earn every point. We felt good with the matchup of Mike (Bibby) on (Allan) Houston. It was a good test for Maurice, except for the technical." Evans played the final 15 minutes and 27 overall, making 7-of-9 shots but downplayed his defense on Marbury. "I wouldn't say I stopped him," Evans told the Bee. "I was just able to keep my feet moving and I think maybe my length bothered him." ... Webber's two shots came from 20 and 18 feet out respectively, a similar distance to his key jumper in Sunday's win over the Spurs. But the key jumper Sunday came much to the disapproval of the fans. But after making it, Webber uttered his own response with a glare at the crowd. Webber's strong play didn't continue in Toronto where he scored just 13 on 6-of-21 from the field. After missing just two free throws, Tuesday, the Kings were 21-of-33 from the line Wednesday. ... The Kings have not allowed over 100 points in eight of their last 11 games. ... G Bobby Jackson will miss the remainder of the regular season after Monday's surgery on a major ligament in his left wrist. ... According to the Bee, guard Doug Christie and his wife Jackie, could be starring in their own reality show on VH1.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS: Coach Gregg Popovich's mood was not exactly joyous Friday night after a blowout win over the Clippers and Sunday after an 86-81 loss in Sacramento. On Friday, Popovich was ejected by Eddie F. Rush with 58.4 seconds remaining in the first quarter after his team missed 20 of their first 26 shots. Two nights later, he was seen berating guard Manu Ginobili and when Robert Horry fouled out attempting to force Peja Stojakovic into going out of bounds, he was livid. But his moods changed with Tuesday's 100-83 victory over the Lakers, the Spurs fifth straight by 15 points or more. The game featured a team-record 15 3-pointers and although Popovich isn't thrilled with them he was understanding of them taking 30. "I hate taking 30 3-pointers," he told the San Antonio Express-News. "But the guys were open and were knocking them down, and sometimes that's contagious." Defensive-minded forward Bruce Bowen was at the forefront, scoring a career-high 24 on five 3-pointers. ... Forward Tim Duncan tied a season low with 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting, marking the second time this season he failed to attempt 10 shots. ... Reserve guard Brent Barry failed to score in double digits 17 straight games from November 24-December 28 but has averaged 11.7 points and shot 48.3 percent (15-of-31) over his last four games.

SEATTLE SONICS: Most teams dread that lengthy road trip to the other coast but the Sonics seem to be the exception so far. They went 5-1 on a six-game road trip in mid-November and 3-1 on their five-game road trip that ends Thursday in Washington. After winning in Atlanta and Charlotte, the Sonics halted Miami's team-record 14-game winning streak with a 98-96 victory Monday. The Sonics won despite shooting 41 percent and got 33 huge minutes from Danny Fortson, who scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. "Danny was the difference," Miami coach Stan Van Gundy told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. "We couldn't survive him coming off the bench and getting 15 points and 10 rebounds." Shaquille O'Neal, who wore a mouth guard Monday, was hardly impressed with Fortson's play. "When you play me, you better flop," O'Neal ranted to the Post-Intelligencer. "It's a shame that the referees fall for that (expletive). ... All they do is flop, and the referees fall for it. That's not basketball. Big men, Bill Russell and Bill Walton, they should be ashamed to even watch the game." O'Neal isn't the only one at issue with Fortson. During Friday's win in Charlotte,referee Jim Clark pointed his index finger at Fortson at the end of the game. Clark claimed to coach Nate McMillian had been cursing at him all night but Fortson labeled the incident inappropriate. ... Seattle, however couldn't keep it going and suffered an 105-87 loss at Orlando Wednesday, which saw them allow a season-high 52 rebounds ... Guard Ronald Murray has been a DNP-CD twice, has gotten meaningless minutes recently and appears to be out of the backcourt rotation for now. ... Forward Reggie Evans missed Wednesday'sgame with a stomach disorder and will sit out Thursday. Evans was diagnosed with gastroenteritis (irritation and inflammation of the digestive tract) but is expected to play Sunday vs. Miami. Evans' absence marked the first time this season Seattle used a different starting five. ... Forward Nick Collison scored a career-high 10 points in Atlanta and Charlotte went scoreless in Miami and scored seven points filling in for Evans Wednesday.

UTAH Jazz: The Jazz have lost seven in a row and are just two points away from a 11-game skid with their only win since December 14 coming at Philadelphia six days later. The skid is their longest since losing nine in a row January 22-February 10, 1983. The latest loss was Wednesday's 106-99 setback to the 76ers a defeat that saw coach Jerry Sloan go to great lengths to try for a victory. Center Curtis Borchardt started for the second straight game but was benched in the second half, moving Carlos Boozer to center for most of the second half. Sloan's moves got 11 players in the game and resulted in reserves Carlos Arroyo, rookies Kris Humphries and Kirk Snyder as well as Howard Eisley getting over 20 minutes. "I was just trying to compete," Sloan told the Deseret News. ... Big man Mehmet Okur played just a season-low 11 minutes with Boozer at the five for most of the second half. ... The Jazz are in the market for another big boday after releasing Alexsandar Radojevic Tuesday. The 7-3 former first-round pick of the Raptors made six starts but averaged 1.6 rebounds and 2.3 boards. ... With Eisley back, the Jazz have four point guards. Keith McLeod started but Arroyo got the most minutes (28). ... Gordan Giricek made his second start and finished with a season-high 18 points. ... Raja Bell sat out a second straight contest with right knee inflammation and will undergo X-rays in Chicago, where the Jazz play their next game.