News from December 8. Charles Barkley (Hou) suffered a ruptured quadriceps tendon in his left knee during the 1st quarter of last night's Hou-Phi game and the injury ends his career. The injury will require surgery to repair and the rehab will take at least 6 months. Barkley had stated before the start of the season that this would be his last season. Barkley, who was the league MVP in 1993, ends his career with averages of 22.2 points including 54% FG and 11.7 rebounds. The NBA fined Patrick Ewing (NY) $10,000 for failing to make himself available to the media during designated media access periods and fined New York $25,000 for failing to ensure that the players comply with the NBA media access rules. Chicago activated B.J. Armstrong and placed Toni Kukoc on IR with back spasms. Sacramento activated Bill Wennington and placed Jon Barry on IR with a lower back strain. Uta 85, Dal 79 - at Uta Bryon Russell (Uta) had 13 points including 5-15 FG and 8 rebounds. Karl Malone (Uta) had 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 turnovers. John Stockton (Uta) had 11 points including 4-5 FG and 7 assists. Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) had 15 points including 5-14 FG, 9 rebounds, and 4 steals. Cedric Ceballos (Dal) had 19 points. Steve Nash (Dal, sprained right ankle) and Gary Trent (Dal, slightly torn left hamstring) did not play. Sac 103, LAL 91 - at Sac Chris Webber (Sac) had 20 points and 12 rebounds. Jason Williams (Sac) had 19 points and 5 rebounds. Predrag Stojakovic (Sac) had 19 points including 7-9 FG. Shaquille O'Neal (LAL) had 27 points including 11-19 FG, 9 rebounds, and 5 turnovers. Kobe Bryant (LAL) had 27 points including 11-19 FG, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 6 turnovers. Sea 110, Min 94 - at Sea Vin Baker (Sea) had 22 points and 13 rebounds including 7 offensive. Brent Barry (Sea) had 10 points on 4-13 FG and 7 rebounds. Gary Payton (Sea) had 36 points including 7-11 3-pointers, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists. Kevin Garnett (Min) had 22 points including 10-17 FG, 12 rebounds, and 6 turnovers. Wally Szczerbiak (Min) had 16 points and 6 rebounds. Dean Garrett (Min, sore left ankle) did not play. Bos 115, Den 90 - at Bos Antoine Walker (Bos) had 20 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 turnovers. Paul Pierce (Bos) had 15 points, 8 assists, and 5 steals. Tony Battie (Bos) had 15 points and 12 rebounds. Antonio McDyess (Den) had 20 points including 8-14 FT and 8 rebounds. Chauncey Billups (Den) had 19 points. Bos shot 51.6% (47-91) FG and Den shot 40.8% (29-71) FG. Bos shot 17-20 FT and Den shot 30-44 FT. Phi 83, Hou 73 - at Phi Tyrone Hill (Phi) had 11 points including 5-14 FG and 11 rebounds. Aaron McKie (Phi) had 16 points. Eric Snow (Phi) had 16 points and 6 assists. Steve Francis (Hou) had 18 points and 7 assists. Carlos Rogers (Hou) had 13 points and 7 rebounds. Theo Ratliff (Phi, sore left ankle) did not play. NJ 107, Mil 90 - at NJ Keith Van Horn (NJ) had 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 turnovers. Kerry Kittles (NJ) had 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals. Stephon Marbury (NJ) had 25 points including 10-16 FG, 14 assists, and 3 steals. Johnny Newman (NJ) had 19 points. Glenn Robinson (Mil) had 25 points and 6 rebounds. Scott Williams (Mil) had 12 points including 4-4 FG and 10 rebounds. Dale Ellis (Mil, flu) did not play. Cle 107, Chi 93 - at Cle Shawn Kemp (Cle) had 21 points on 4-12 FG and 13-18 FT and 7 rebounds. Brevin Knight (Cle) had 18 points including 7-9 FG and 5 assists. Bob Sura (Cle) had 29 points on 12-19 FG and 5-8 3-pointers, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals. Will Perdue (Chi) had 13 points and 7 rebounds. Corey Benjamin (Chi) had 15 points. Lamond Murray (Cle, flu) and Elton Brand (Chi, right hip pointer) did not play. Cha 113, GS 106 - at Cha Derrick Coleman (Cha) had 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 blocks. Eddie Jones (Cha) had 30 points including 8-10 FT, 10 assists, 3 blocks, and 4 steals. Ricky Davis (Cha) had 15 points including 6-9 FG and 5 rebounds. Antawn Jamison (GS) had 26 points. Adonal Foyle (GS) had 17 points including 7-11 FG, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks. John Starks (GS) had 28 points including 5-9 3-pointers and 9 assists. Elden Campbell (Cha, flu), Bobby Phills (Cha, pulled left hamstring), and Chris Mills (GS, sprained left ankle) did not play. Atl 99, LAC 81 -a t Atl Chris Crawford (Atl) had 10 points and 6 rebounds. Dikembe Mutombo (Atl) had 16 points including 6-8 FG, 14 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Isaiah Rider (Atl) had 38 points including 18-29 FG, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. Maurice Taylor (LAC) had 22 points and 7 rebounds. Michael Olowokandi (LAC) had 17 points, 20 rebounds including 9 offensive, and 3 blocks. Atl shot 50.6% (44-87) FG and LAC shot 36.8% (32-87) FG. Jim Jackson (Atl, tendinitis both knees) and Roshown McLeod (Atl, groin strain) did not play. On the lighter side [have to close this one out with Barkley quotes]: Charles Barkley's opening comment at the start of the press conference following the Phi-Hou game: "Well guys, I guess that sex is definitely out of the question tonight." Charles Barkley on his thoughts about retiring before the season: "I remember sitting down with the Rockets and saying, 'Yeah. I'm going to retire.' They said, 'Well, we'll give you $9 million.' And I said, 'You got a pen on you?'"