Rockets Lose Barkley In Trouncing By Cavs

Derek Anderson had 19 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the visiting Houston Rockets for the first time in nearly two years, 100-70 Tuesday night after Charles Barkley left the game with an injured foot.

Barkley left with 3:27 remaining in the second quarter. X-rays were negative, but the 11-time All-Star did not return and said the injury could be a stress fracture of the middle toe.

With Barkley in the dressing room and center Hakeem Olajuwon still injured, Houston took its most lopsided loss of the season and recorded the third-lowest point total in team history.

Shaquille O’Neal had 25 points, 14 rebounds and five assists in his first start since returning from an injury and the Los Angeles Lakers overcame a poor first half to win 100-87 at Vancouver.

At Salt Lake City, Greg Ostertag blocked 11 shots and Karl Malone scored 21 points and hit four free throws in overtime as the Utah Jazz edged the Philadelphia 76ers 98-95.

Bomb threat nets probation

A desperately indebted businessman who tried to extort $150,000 from Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller avoided prison time when a sympathetic judge sentenced him to five years on probation.

A pre-sentence report recommended that Richard Lewis Christiansen serve up to three years in prison. But U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Greene said Christiansen’s threats to bomb the Delta Center unless the millionaire car dealer paid him were “pathetic” and out of character.

The 44-year-old man, who did not know Miller, was trying to recover from crushing debts from his failed used car lot.

Spurs dump Smith

The San Antonio Spurs, tired of waiting for forward Charles Smith’s knee injury to heal, have waived the $4 million former New York Knick.

Nets waive McDaniel

The New Jersey Nets have waived center Jack Haley and forward Xavier McDaniel, the latter a former All-Star who has played with Seattle.

Raptors sign Daniels

Lloyd Daniels, a 6-foot-7 guard, had been with the Idaho Stampede of the Continental Basketball Association since Dec. 12, is getting another shot at the NBA, this time with Toronto on a 10-day contract.