News from January 2. The NBA named Shaquille O'Neal (LAL) as Player of the Month for December. O'Neal averaged 28 points including 52% FG, 12.6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3.4 blocks as the Lakers went 11-3 in December. The NBA named Pat Riley (Mia) as Coach of the Month for December. Miami went 11-3 in December including 8-0 on the road. The NBA named Shareef Abdur-Rahim (Van) and Kerry Kittles (NJ) as Rookies of the Month for December. Abdur-Rahim averaged 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists and Kittles averaged 19.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.3 steals. Atlanta signed Darrin Hancock (F). Charlotte placed Matt Geiger on IR with back spasms. Miami activated Dan Majerle and placed James Scott on IR with a bruised left knee. Washington activated Lorenzo Williams and released Matt Fish. Jeff Malone signed with VAO Thessaloniki of the Greek League. Cha 107, Dal 97 - at Cha Anthony Mason (Cha) had 14 points on 7-11 FG, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. Vlade Divac (Cha) had 12 points including 4-5 FG and 15 rebounds. Glen Rice (Cha) had 37 points including 12-15 FT. Jim Jackson (Dal) had 22 points including 10-16 FG and 5 assists. Sam Cassell (Dal) had 18 points. Chris Gatling (Dal) had 22 points including 9-14 FG and 13 rebounds. George McCloud (Dal, hip flexor) did not play. LAL 90, Sac 83 - at Sac Elden Campbell (LAL) had 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 steals. Shaquille O'Neal (LAL) had 25 points, 16 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Eddie Jones (LAL) had 20 points. Billy Owens (Sac) had 19 points including 8-12 FG. Olden Polynice (Sac) had 15 points and 15 rebounds. Mitch Richmond (Sac) had 32 points including 13-30 FG and 7 rebounds. Jerome Kersey (LAL, flu), Rumeal Robinson (LAL, flu), Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (Sac, respiratory flu), and Tyus Edney (Sac, stomach flu) did not play. Cle 103, Pho 94 - at Cle Chris Mills (Cle) had 20 points including 9-12 FG and 8 rebounds. Terrell Brandon (Cle) had 14 points and 9 assists. Bob Sura (Cle) had 18 points including 6-9 FG and 5 assists. Kevin Johnson (Pho) had 25 points including 13-13 FT and 6 assists. Danny Manning (Pho) had 22 points including 9-14 FG and 5 assists. SA 83, Uta 80 - at SA Sean Elliott (SA) had 18 points on 5-16 FG and 7-12 FT and 6 rebounds. Will Perdue (SA) had 12 points including 56- FG and 12 rebounds. Avery Johnson (SA) had 22 points including 9-13 FG, 6 assists, and 4 steals. Karl Malone (Uta) had 26 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 7 turnovers. Jeff Hornacek (Uta) had 25 points including 9-13 FG and 5 rebounds. Vinny Del Negro (SA, injured right shoulder) and Dominique Wilkins (SA, injured right knee) did not play. Por 112, Hou 96 - at Hou Arvydas Sabonis (Por) had 18 points on 3-10 FG and 12-12 FT, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists. Gary Trent (Por) had 19 points including 8-11 FG and 8 rebounds. Isaiah Rider (Por) had 31 points and 5 rebounds. Kenny Anderson (Por) had 23 points including 8-10 FT, 5 rebounds, and 10 assists. Charles Barkley (Hou) had 30 points on 10-14 FG and 9-15 FT, 14 rebounds, and 7 turnovers. Hakeem Olajuwon (Hou) had 21 points and 8 rebounds. Clyde Drexler (Hou) had 17 points and 6 rebounds. Orl 96, Tor 94 OT - at Orl Dennis Scott (Orl) had 15 points including 5-17 FG and 6 rebounds. Derek Strong (Orl) had 21 points and 9 rebounds. Rony Seikaly (Orl) had 31 points including the game winning turn around jumper with 1 second left and 13 rebounds including 8 offensive. Damon Stoudamire (Tor) had 32 points including 4-9 3-pointers and 8-10 FT, 12 assists, and 5 steals. A.C. Earl (Tor) had 23 points on 8-11 FG and 7-11 FT, 6 rebounds, and 6 blocks. Nick Anderson (Orl, sprained right wrist), Horace Grant (Orl, right hand contusion), and Carlos Rogers (Tor, sore lower back) did not play. Det 99, Bos 87 - at Det Grant Hill (Det) had 20 points on 6-17 FG and 8-10 FT, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists. Joe Dumars (Det) had 19 points including 5-16 FG. Terry Mills (Det) had 13 points including 3-3 3-pointers. David Wesley (Bos) had 22 points and 9 assists. Todd Day (Bos) had 17 points and 5 rebounds. Dana Barros (Bos, sore left ankle) and Frank Brickowski (Bos, sore shoulder) did not play. NY 92, Was 80 - at Was Patrick Ewing (NY) had 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 blocks. Allan Houston (NY) had 18 points. John Starks (NY) had 16 points including 6-9 FG and 3 steals. Chris Webber (Was) had 19 points, 17 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 7 turnovers. Rod Strickland (Was) had 17 points on 3-11 FG and 11-13 FT, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 6 turnovers. Sea 96, Phi 82 - at Sea Shawn Kemp (Sea) had 23 points including 11-14 FT and 12 rebounds. Hersey Hawkins (Sea) had 21 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. Gary Payton (Sea) had 21 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists, and 4 steals. Derrick Coleman (Phi) had 22 points on 7-21 FG and 8-11 FT, 20 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Allen Iverson (Phi) had 20 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 7 turnovers. Mia 101, NJ 91 - at Mia Alonzo Mourning (Mia) had 28 points including 10-17 FT, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Tim Hardaway (Mia) had 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 12 assists. Voshon Lenard (Mia) had 19 points including 5-8 3-pointers. Shawn Bradley (NJ) had 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 blocks. Kerry Kittles (NJ) had 16 points and 8 assists. Sasha Danilovic (Mia, strained lower back), Robert Pack (NJ, sprained left thumb), and Jayson Williams (NJ, bruised right knee) did not play.