Celtics 100, Knicks 91 --AP

[CeltsSteve@xxxxxxx]

Celtics 100, Knicks 91

By CHRIS SHERIDAN
.c The Associated Press 

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) - Antonio McDyess had a decent debut in his first 
exhibition game for the Knicks, collecting 17 points and 17 rebounds in a 
100-91 loss to the <A HREF="aol://1722:Celtics">Boston Celtics</A> on Tuesday night.

McDyess played 32 minutes in his first game for New York, which acquired him 
from Denver on draft night in a five-player deal. He accumulated his 17 
points without the Knicks running any plays for him in the low post.

``Things come easy for him, and once we get some of our (offensive) sets in 
he'll be all that much more effective,'' Knicks coach Don Chaney said. ``He's 
a force down there.''

Tony Delk scored 16 points to lead six players in double figures for the 
Celtics, who took the lead early in the first quarter and never let the 
Knicks get close in the second half.

Antoine Walker scored 15, Paul Pierce and Eric Williams scored 13 each and 
new acquisition Vin Baker had 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists. 
Baker played 23 minutes and scored most of his points from the foul line.

``I thought he played well at both ends of the court,'' Celtics coach Jim 
O'Brien said. ``I'm real pleased with his effort.''

McDyess said he felt uncomfortable for much of the game, his timing off and 
his free throw stroke missing. McDyess went just 5-for-12 at the line. 
McDyess also picked up a technical from referee Jeff Smith, who also whistled 
technicals on Kurt Thomas and Pierce.

There were 23 fouls and 32 free throws in the first quarter alone, and the 
teams combined to shoot 80 free throws overall.
   
10/08/02 22:51 EDT


Roundup: Carter Looks Good In First Game Since Surgery
Hamilton Gets 10 Points in Pistons' Debut

.c The Associated Press

TORONTO (Oct. 8) -- Vince Carter scored 26 points in his first game since 
surgery on his left knee in March, but the <A HREF="aol://1722:Raptors">Toronto Raptors</A> lost to the <A HREF="aol://1722:Pistons">
Detroit Pistons</A> 80-70 on Tuesday night.

Carter scored 18 points in the first quarter of the exhibition game, as 
Toronto took a 26-12 lead.

Clifford Robinson had 14 points and nine rebounds for the Pistons. Chauncey 
Billups and Corliss Williamson each added 13 points for Detroit, who 
eliminated the Raptors in the first round of the playoffs last season.

The Pistons traded leading scorer Jerry Stackhouse during the summer. Richard 
Hamilton, acquired from Washington in the Stackhouse deal, had 10 points.

Billups, vying for the starting point guard position with Chucky Atkins, had 
11 points in the third quarter as the Pistons rallied from a 10-point deficit 
at halftime.

Heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis sat courtside.

In other NBA exhibition action Tuesday:

Spurs 95, Sixers 82

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Tim Duncan, the league's MVP last season, had 18 points 
and 12 rebounds in 23 minutes to lead the <A HREF="aol://1722:Spurs">San Antonio Spurs</A> to the victory 
over the <A HREF="aol://1722:76ers">Philadelphia 76ers</A> in an NBA exhibition opener.

Duncan, who sat out the game's final 17 minutes, added four assists, four 
blocks and one steal.

Eric Snow led the 76ers with 18 points, while Aaron McKie added 12. Keith Van 
Horn, acquired in an offseason trade with New Jersey, was 0-for-5 from the 
field and played just six minutes because of tightness in his quad.

The Sixers were missing six players, including four of their projected 
eight-man rotation: Allen Iverson (broken finger), Derrick Coleman (left 
knee), Greg Buckner (sprained knee ligaments) and Monty Williams (left 
shoulder). Iverson sat at end of the bench and ate popcorn through much of 
the first quarter. Williams was diagnosed with a small tear of the labrum 
resulting from a collision in Saturday's practice. He'll be re-evaluated in a 
week.

The Spurs, who shot 52.8 percent from the field, led 63-49 midway through the 
third quarter.

Hawks 102, Magic 75

ATLANTA -- Grant Hill played in his first NBA game in 10 months, scoring 10 
points in 28 minutes for the <A HREF="aol://1722:Orlando Magic">Orlando Magic</A> in an exhibition loss to the <A HREF="aol://1722:Hawks">
Atlanta Hawks</A>.

Hill shot 4-for-7 and had six defensive rebounds and three assists during the 
first three quarters. Problems with his left ankle have limited him to 18 
games since signing with Orlando in 2000.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim scored 18 points and Jason Terry added 17 for Atlanta. In 
his Hawks debut, Glenn Robinson had four points on 2-of-11 shooting and 
grabbed eight rebounds.

Mike Miller led Orlando with 12 points.

Theo Ratliff, who played only the first two games for Atlanta last season 
after tearing cartilage in his right hip, had four points, two rebounds and 
an assist in 14 minutes of the first half.

Point guard Dan Dickau, Atlanta's first-round draft pick, finished with six 
points, six assists and three rebounds.        

Copyright 2002 The Associated Press. 


CeltsSteve