News from January 20. The NBA announced the contestants for the Slam Dunk contest. They are: Richard Jefferson (NJ) Desmond Mason (Sea) Jason Richardson (GS) Amare Stoudemire (Pho) Cleveland fired head coach John Lucas and named assistant Keith Smart as interim coach. Assistant Jerry Eaves was also fired. Atlanta signed Mike Wilks to a 2nd 10-day contract. Atlanta also released Paul Shirley. Chicago activated Rick Brunson and placed Jay Williams on IR with a sprained left ankle. New Orleans signed Robert Pack to a 2nd 10-day contract. Portland activated Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje. Denver signed John Crotty to a 2nd 10-day contract. [thanks to Jed Tai] Chi 115, Atl 102 at Atl Jalen Rose (Chi) had 37 points including 15-21 FG and 7-10 3-pointers and 5 assists. Marcus Fizer (Chi) had 24 points and 10 rebounds. Rick Brunson (Chi) had 12 points on 5-7 FG, 7 assists, and 3 steals. Glenn Robinson (Atl) had 20 points and 8 rebounds. Shareef Abdur-Rahim (Atl) had 27 points including 10-13 FT and 5 rebounds. Jason Terry (Atl) had 23 points and 7 assists. Chi out-scored Atl 41-19 in the 4th quarter. NY 72, Mia 65 at NY Latrell Sprewell (NY) had 24 points and 6 assists. Kurt Thomas (NY) had 15 points and 8 rebounds. Shandon Anderson (NY) had 10 points. Malik Allen (Mia) had 13 points and 13 rebounds. Eddie Jones (Mia) had 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. Anthony Carter (Mia, bruised left knee) did not play. Was 89, Den 74 at Was Michael Jordan (Was) had 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. Larry Hughes (Was) had 20 points and 5 rebounds. Etan Thomas (Was) had 10 points including 3-4 FG, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Juwan Howard (Den) had 25 points including 11-18 FG and 7 rebounds. Jerry Stackhouse (Was, left groin pull) and Marcus Camby (Den, sprained right ankle) did not play. Uta 106, NJ 103 OT at Uta Matt Harpring (Uta) had 23 points and 8 rebounds. Karl Malone (Uta) had 24 points including 8-12 FT, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks. John Stockton (Uta) had 25 points and 3 steals. Andrei Kirilenko (Uta) had 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 blocks. Richard Jefferson (NJ) had 18 points and 8 rebounds. Jason Kidd (NJ) had 33 points on 12-36 FG, 1-10 3-pointers, and 8-11 FT, 13 rebounds including 8 offensive, 5 assists, 6 steals, and 10 turnovers. Kerry Kittles (NJ) had 22 points including 8-10 FT, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals. Rodney Rogers (NJ, strained left calf) did not play. Bos 100, Phi 99 at Phi Antoine Walker (Bos) had 33 points including 6-11 3-pointers and 6 rebounds. J.R. Bremer (Bos) had 10 points including 3-9 FG, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Paul Pierce (Bos) had 40 points including 13-18 FT, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, and 6 turnovers. Eric Snow (Phi) had 17 points on 2-9 FG and 12-12 FT, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 turnovers. Allen Iverson (Phi) had 29 points and 5 steals. Tony Delk (Bos, sprained left ankle), Tony Battie (Bos, sore right knee), Todd MacCulloch (Phi, foot infection), and Efthimios Rentzias (Phi, flu) did not play. NO 114, Pho 102 at NO Jamal Mashburn (NO) had 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists. Jamaal Magloire (NO) had 22 points including 8-10 FT and 10 rebounds. Baron Davis (NO) had 18 points and 9 assists. David Wesley (NO) had 28 points including 9-16 FG and 5-6 3-pointers, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Shawn Marion (NO) had 25 points and 16 rebounds. Amare Stoudemire (Pho) had 22 points on 7-11 FG and 8-12 FT and 13 rebounds. Stephon Marbury (Pho) had 22 points on 6-21 FG and 9-11 FT, 11 assists, and 7 turnovers. Joe Johnson (Pho) had 19 points and 5 rebounds. Courtney Alexander (NO, strained right groin) and Anfernee Hardaway (Pho, right thumber surgery) did not play. Sac 102, GS 80 at GS Chris Webber (Sac) had 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists. Vlade Divac (Sac) had 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Mike Bibby (Sac) had 15 points, 9 assists, and 3 steals. Troy Murphy (GS) had 13 points including 5-14 FG and 15 rebounds. Jason Richardson (GS) had 28 points and 6 rebounds. Sac shot 51.2% (43-84) FG and GS shot 31.9% (30-94) FG. Min 89, Tor 81 at Min Kevin Garnett (Min) had 19 points, 15 rebounds, 8 assists, and 5 blocks. Radoslav Nesterovic (Min) had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Troy Hudson (Min) had 16 points. Jerome Williams (Tor) had 12 points including 4-11 FG and 13 rebounds. Voshon Lenard (Tor) had 22 points. Vince Carter (Tor, strained right knee), Mamadou N'diaye (Tor, right heel injury), Michael Bradley (Tor, lower back disc injury), and Chris Jefferies (Tor, lower back disc injury) did not play. SA 87, Hou 82 at SA Tim Duncan (SA) had 32 points including 10-11 FT, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocks. David Robinson (SA) had 14 points including 6-8 FG and 7 rebounds. Tony Parker (SA) had 11 points including 4-12 FG, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 5 turnovers. Yao Ming (Hou) had 11 points including 4-11 FG and 8 rebounds. Cuttino Mobley (Hou) had 15 points on 7-21 FG and 6 rebounds. SA shot 21-24 FT and Hou shot 8-10 FT. Det 88, Ind 78 at Det Ben Wallace (Det) had 14 points on 7-9 FG, 15 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 3 steals. Clifford Robinson (Det) had 15 points including 3-4 3-pointers, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Richard Hamilton (Det) had 18 points. Jermaine O'Neal (Ind) had 12 points and 11 rebounds. Reggie Miller (Ind) had 28 points including 3-4 3-pointers. Ron Mercer (Ind, scratched right eye) did not play. Por 99, Mem 87 at Mem Bonzi Wells (Por) had 14 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, and 5 turnovers. Scottie Pippen (Por) had 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Jeff McInnis (Por) had 15 points. Lorenzen Wright (Mem) had 22 points including 9-15 FG and 9 rebounds. Jason Williams (Mem) had 15 points including 4-11 FG, 8 assists, and 8 turnovers. Rasheed Wallace (Por, suspended) and Stromile Swift (Mem, sprained right hand) did not play. LAL 96, LAC 92 at LAL Shaquille O'Neal (LAL) had 32 points including 8-10 FT, 15 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 7 turnovers. Kobe Bryant (LAL) had 26 points, 8 rebounds, 11 assists, and 3 steals. Derek Fisher (LAL) had 12 points and 5 assists. Corey Maggette (LAC) had 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals. Andre Miller (LAC) had 20 points and 5 rebounds.