News from April 8. The NBA announced that New Orleans will move to the Western Conference in 03-04 or 04-05. New Orleans will have the option to move to the Western Conference for 03-04 [which means they'll likely stay in the weaker Eastern Conference] - they must inform the league if they intend to change conferences by May 1. If they choose not to move in 03-04, they will be moved for 04-05. The expansion Charlotte team will debut in 04-05 and will join the Eastern Conference. Detroit activated Zeljko Rebraca and placed Danny Manning on IR with a lower back strain. Memphis activated Chris Owens and Cezary Trybanski and placed Mike Miller (back spasms) and Lorenzen Wright (severely sprained right thumb) on IR. New York activated Lavor Postell and placed Othella Harrington on IR with right plantar fasciaitis. Mario Austin (junior, Mississippi State, forward-center) and Rick Rickert (sophomore, Minnesota, forward) declared themselves eligible for the NBA draft. LAL 108, Dal 99 at LAL Robert Horry (LAL) had 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 steals. Kobe Bryant (LAL) had 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists. Devean George (LAL) had 21 points on 6-7 FG and 7-7 FT. Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) had 26 points and 9 rebounds. Raef LaFrentz (Dal) had 26 points on 10-14 FG and 6-8 3-pointers and 7 rebounds. Steve Nash (Dal) had 21 points including 5-17 FG and 10 assists. Sac 107, Sea 85 at Sac Predrag Stojakovic (Sac) had 18 points and 6 rebounds. Chris Webber (Sac) had 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. Mike Bibby (Sac) had 15 points and 5 rebounds. Predrag Drobnjak (Sea) had 22 points and 7 rebounds. Ray Allen (Sea) had 22 points, 6 assists, and 7 turnovers. Sac shot 51.3% (40-78) FG and Sea shot 38.2% (34-89) FG. Chi 115, Ind 103 at Chi Eddy Curry (Chi) had 15 points and 6 rebounds. Jamal Crawford (Chi) had 33 points including 10-11 FT and 8 assists. Jalen Rose (Chi) had 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. Jermaine O'Neal (Ind) had 38 points including 16-22 FG, 13 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Brad Miller (Ind) had 18 points including 6-10 FT, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. Ron Mercer (Ind, lower back pain) did not play. Por 81, Hou 66 at Hou Bonzi Wells (Por) had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Damon Stoudamire (Por) had 21 points. Arvydas Sabonis (Por) had 11 points including 5-7 FG and 7 rebounds. James Posey (Hou) had 15 points and 7 rebounds. Steve Francis (Hou) had 12 points including 5-20 FG and 3 blocks. Por shot 44.4% (33-72) FG and Hou shot 29.5% (26-88) FG. Ruben Patterson (Por, broken eye socket) did not play. Was 100, Cle 91 at Cle Jerry Stackhouse (Was) had 18 points including 5-17 FG, 6 rebounds, and 5 steals. Christian Laettner (Was) had 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. Tryonn Lue (Was) had 18 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals. Michael Jordan (Was) had 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 steals. Carlos Boozer (Cle) had 16 points on 8-10 FG and 14 rebounds. Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Cle) had 23 points including 9-13 FG and 5 rebounds. Ricky Davis (Cle) had 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 11 assists. Charles Oakley (Was, sore right knee), Larry Hughes (Was, sore right ankle), and Dajuan Wagner (Cle, knee surgery) did not play. NY 99, Atl 95 at NY Latrell Sprewell (NY) had 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 steals. Kurt Thomas (NY) had 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Allan Houston (NY) had 29 points including 14-24 FG, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists. Shareef Abdur-Rahim (Atl) had 16 points and 8 rebounds. Theo Ratliff (Atl) had 10 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Jason Terry (Atl) had 27 points including 10-10 FT, 5 assists, and 4 steals. NY shot 9-10 FT and Atl shot 26-28 FT. Nazr Mohammed (Atl, right foot) did not play. Mem 111, LAC 108 at Mem Pau Gasol (Mem) had 25 points including 11-13 FT, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. Jason Williams (Mem) had 23 points including 5-7 3-pointers and 6 assists. Mike Batiste (Mem) had 15 points and 11 rebounds. Lamar Odom (LAC) had 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. Elton Brand (LAC) had 21 points and 10 rebounds. Corey Maggette (LAC) had 22 points and 5 rebounds. Phi 91, Det 74 at Phi Kenny Thomas (Phi) had 16 points including 7-11 FG and 15 rebounds. Allen Iverson (Phi) had 37 points on 13-23 FG and 11-13 FT, 8 assists, and 5 turnovers. Aaron McKie (Phi) had 10 points and 4 steals. Clifford Robinson (Det) had 16 points. Chauncey Billups (Det) had 12 points and 10 assists. Phi shot 51.4% (38-74) FG and Det shot 39.1% (25-64) FG. Phi out-rebounded Det 42-27. Monty Williams (Phi, left knee injury), Keith Van Horn (Phi, plantar fasciaitis left foot), Chucky Atkins (Det, left knee injury), and Ben Wallace (Det, sprained left MCL) did not play. Pho 98, Den 78 at Den Shawn Marion (Pho) had 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 steals. Stephon Marbury (Pho) had 16 points including 4-11 FG and 9 assists. Joe Johnson (Pho) had 23 points and 6 rebounds. Juwan Howard (Den) had 15 points on 4-16 FG and 7-10 FT, 9 rebounds, and 5 turnovers. Nene Hilario (Den) had 14 points including 4-11 FG, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Pho shot 43% (34-79) FG and Den shot 31.6% (25-79) FG. Marcus Camby (Den, flu like symptoms) did not play. GS 128, Uta 102 at GS Troy Murphy (GS) had 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 turnovers. Gilbert Arenas (GS) had 34 points including 6-9 3-pointers and 5 assists. Mike Dunleavy (GS) had 17 points including 6-9 FG, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Karl Malone (Uta) had 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. Carlos Arroyo (Uta) had 16 points. GS shot 35-39 FT and Uta shot 12-20 FT. Chris Mills (GS, left Achilles tendinitis) did not play. Mia 89, Tor 83 at Mia Caron Butler (Mia) had 12 points including 4-14 FG and 5 rebounds. Brian Grant (Mia) had 16 points including 7-11 FG and 10 rebounds. LaPhonso Ellis (Mia) had 10 points and 6 rebounds. Chris Jefferies (Tor) had 15 points including 6-18 FG. Alvin Williams (Tor) had 16 points. Mia shot 21-26 FT and Tor shot 9-13 FT. Lindsey Hunter (Tor, sore back), Vince Carter (Tor, sprained left ankle), Antonio Davis (Tor, strained groin), and Voshon Lenard (Tor, bruised right ankle) did not play.