Stockton Joins Practices

John Stockton has returned to Utah Jazz practice for the first time since having knee surgery six weeks ago.

The NBA’s all-time leader in assists and steals could be back in the lineup by the middle of next month.

Stockton did not work out full blast at Westminster College, but he did participate in shooting drills and some full-court maneuvers.

He is to accompany the team on its five-game Eastern road trip that begins Dec. 15 at Washington - nine weeks after doctors removed damaged cartilage from his left knee. Doctors said at the time that Stockton would miss eight to 12 weeks.

Stockton has been shooting around before the last five home games while following a rehabilitation schedule that kept him away from Jazz workouts.

Raptors’ roster thin

The Toronto Raptors placed forward Tracy McGrady and center Zan Tabak on the injured list, further depleting an already thin roster.

The 6-foot-8 McGrady, the ninth overall pick in June’s draft, is suffering from a sore left arch. The 18-year-old is averaging 3.7 points and 3.1 rebounds in 11 minutes a game.

The 7-foot Tabak, 27, has a sprained right ankle and a hyperextended left knee. He’s averaging 6.4 points and 4.5 rebounds.

The Raptors also activated forward/center Carlos Rogers.

Rookie injured

Cleveland Cavaliers rookie point guard Brevin Knight severely bruised his right shoulder while falling out of bounds Wednesday against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Knight, who had eight points and three assists, was hurt with 1:38 remaining in the second quarter.

Lakers bounce back

Elden Campbell scored 22 points and Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones led a decisive third-quarter run as the Los Angeles Lakers rebounded from their only loss of the season and beat the Boston Celtics 118-103 Wednesday night in Boston.

Campbell was the high scorer for the highest-scoring team in the league, which won its first 11 games before losing to Miami on Tuesday.

The Lakers are 2-1 since losing Shaquille O’Neal to a strained stomach muscle; he is expected to miss at least two more games.

Elsewhere

The Atlanta Hawks tied an NBA record with their 11th consecutive overtime victory and sent the Toronto Raptors to their 11th straight loss, 109-104 in double overtime Wednesday night.

The Miami Heat snapped the NBA’s longest winning streak for the second straight night, beating the Orlando Magic 84-60 in Orlando to take over sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division.

The Heat, who ended the Lakers’ season-opening, 11-game streak Tuesday night, played the same kind of suffocating defense to stop Orlando’s stretch of success at six straight wins.

The Cavaliers outrebounded Philadelphia 45-36.

Glenn Robinson scored 25 points and Terrell Brandon had 14, including 12 during the decisive third quarter, as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Vancouver Grizzlies 101-82.

Rookie Alvin Williams scored eight of his 12 points in the fourth quarter as the Portland Trail Blazers held off the Minnesota Timberwolves 96-90 in Minneapolis.

Rasheed Wallace scored 16 points and Gary Trent added 14 as Portland improved to 7-2 on the road.

Danny Manning scored his 10,000th career point and the Phoenix Suns made all 25 of their free throws as they avoided a second-half collapse to beat the New Jersey Nets 111-99 in Phoenix.

Shawn Kemp and Wesley Person scored 18 points apiece as the Cleveland Cavaliers used their inside advantage to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 95-89 in Philadelphia.