Gentry Impressed As Streaking Jazz Win 10th Straight

Detroit coach Alvin Gentry thought his team played well enough Sunday to beat almost any team in the NBA. Unfortunately, the Pistons were the Utah Jazz.

“That’s a helluva basketball team,” Gentry said after Utah won its 10th straight game, 109-98 over Detroit in Auburn Hills, Mich. “I thought we played pretty well, to be honest. We shot 49 percent, we rebounded well and we didn’t turn the ball over. This one wasn’t us, it was them.”

Karl Malone had 28 points and nine rebounds, and Jeff Hornacek had 22 points as the Jazz won their eighth straight on the road.

Arvydas Sabonis had 28 points and 15 rebounds to rally the Portland Trail Blazers to a 103-92 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in Portland.

Jason Kidd had his 18th career triple-double with 20 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists as the Phoenix Suns clinched a playoff berth with a 100-90 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Phoenix.

Phoenix is in the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season.

Voshon Lenard hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer and Miami held Orlando without a field goal in the final 7:45 to give the Heat a 79-76 victory over the Magic in Orlando.

Mark Jackson returned to his old stomping grounds and was unstoppable in the clutch, scoring half of his season-high 28 points in the fourth quarter as the Indiana Pacers defeated the New York Knicks 91-86 in New York.

Doug Christie scored 24 points, and made two decisive free throws with 19.3 seconds left in overtime and Toronto beat the Golden State Warriors 102-98 in Oakland.

Ewing mending quickly

Patrick Ewing is recovering so quickly from his wrist injury that the Knicks’ team doctor said the team is considering the possibility of placing the center on the playoff roster April 20.

“He’s really doing well, and our concern about his career being in jeopardy is not the issue anymore,” Dr. Norman Scott said. “He’s forced us to look at making a decision that we didn’t think we’d have to get into.”

He went down with what was thought to be a season-ending and career-threatening wrist injury Dec. 20.

Scott said Ewing has regained 50 percent of the strength in his wrist and 60 percent of his range of motion.