On a sightseeing tour of Tokyo this week, the New Jersey Nets visited a Buddhist temple, where each player received an omamori, a little bag containing an inscription that bestows good luck–providing the bag is not opened.
Somebody must have opened his bag at halftime Thursday night. After staying even with the Orlando Magic for two quarters, the Nets collapsed in the third period en route to a 108-95 drubbing in the first of two games being played by the teams in Tokyo. It was the first victory of the season for the Shaq-less Magic,
Nearly 40,000 spectators watched Thursday night’s game in the Tokyo Dome, normally a baseball stadium.
Rony Seikaly, obtained from the Warriors to try and help fill the hole left by Shaquille O’Neal’s departure to the Los Angeles Lakers, scored 10 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter.
Nets coach John Calipari didn’t make the trip, staying home with his pregnant wife. Assistant Don Casey ran the team.
Rockets 110, Nuggets 108: Hakeem Olajuwon scored 12 of his 36 points in overtime as the Rockets remained unbeaten by winning in Denver.
Olajuwon, who left the game briefly in the third quarter with a bruised right elbow after colliding with Denver’s Antonio McDyess, made all four of his field-goal attempts and all four free throws in overtime.
Houston improved to 5-0 despite playing overtime without Charles Barkley, who fouled out with 44 seconds left in regulation. Barkley finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds.
The Nuggets placed forward LaPhonso Ellis on the injured reserve list. He’ll have surgery to remove loose cartilage from his left knee Friday and will miss three to four weeks.
Sonics 103, Suns 98: In Phoenix, Hersey Hawkins scored 24 points and made two critical free throws with 9.9 seconds left, lifting Seattle to its fifth straight victory over the Suns.
Gary Payton, who added 25 points and seven assists, sliced through the Phoenix defense for an important layup with 1:27 to play.
Shawn Kemp scored 16 for Seattle but fouled out with 1:43 to play.
Knicks 105, Warriors 100: In San Jose, Calif., Patrick Ewing had 33 points and the Knicks went on a key 23-13 third-quarter run.
John Starks, who had just two points at halftime, scored seven in the third quarter–all after getting a technical foul in a verbal confrontation with Warriors coach Rick Adelman–and eight in the final period.
Blazers 95, Wolves 94: Kenny Anderson hit a 15-foot shot at the buzzer to give the Trail Blazers an overtime victory at home. Anderson, who scored 21 points, got the inbound pass with four seconds remaining and dribbled between two Timberwolves at the top of the key, then threw up a shot as he tumbled to the floor.
Hawks 91, Kings 87: Tyrone Corbin made four free throws in the final five seconds for the Hawks, who outscored the Kings 14-6 over the final three minutes in Sacramento. Christian Laettner (23 points) made three free throws in the final 33 seconds as the Hawks won their third straight road game.
