NEW YORK – Vin Baker made a jump hook over the outstretched arm of Theo Ratliff, the league’s leading shot blocker, with 38 seconds left to give the New York Knicks’ a three-point lead that held up Monday night in a 92-91 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Baker had two nifty low-post moves for baskets in the final 2 minutes to help the Knicks to a crucial home win.

Tim Thomas returned after a four-game injury absence and scored 11 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, Stephon Marbury scored 23 and Moochie Norris played his most significant role of the season with 13 points in 29 minutes.

Damon Stoudamire had 20 points and Zach Randolph 19 for the Blazers, who began the night in a virtual tie with Utah for eighth place in the West.

Portland had a shot for the win, but Stoudamire missed an off-balance 20-footer at the buzzer. Portland lost for just the third time in 10 games.

Heat 105, Bulls 96

MIAMI – Caron Butler scored 12 of his season-high 30 points in the fourth quarter and pulled down a career-best 13 rebounds to lead the Miami Heat to a 105-96 victory Monday night over the Chicago Bulls.

Dwyane Wade finished with 21 points as Miami won its ninth consecutive home game to remain in sixth place in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Brian Grant’s jumper with 4:42 remaining put Miami ahead for good at 87-86 and helped the Heat to a 13-2 run. Butler’s two free throws with 2:29 left capped the run, giving the Heat a 96-88 lead.

Grizzlies 136, Hawks 133

ATLANTA – James Posey scored a career-high 38 points – including a buzzer-beating 3 to force a second overtime period – and the rampaging Memphis Grizzlies beat the Atlanta Hawks 136-133 Monday night in the highest-scoring NBA game of the season.

Officials reviewed the shot to confirm Posey’s shot at the end of the first overtime was launched before time ran out. Posey also hit two free throws with 10.7 seconds left in the second overtime, and the Hawks missed two late 3-point attempts.

The 269 combined points surpassed by seven the total between Atlanta and Washington when the Hawks beat the Wizards 138-124 on March 12.

Spurs 101, Cavaliers 93

SAN ANTONIO – Manu Ginobili scored 21 points for the San Antonio Spurs, who led Cleveland by as many as 23 in the fourth quarter before settling for a 101-93 win over the Cavaliers on Monday night.

Cleveland rookie LeBron James, in his first visit to San Antonio, scored 12 of his 18 points in the third quarter, but he didn’t play at all in the final period.

Lee Nailon scored 11 points in the fourth for the Cavs, who outscored the Spurs 28-15 in the quarter.

T-wolves 94, Rockets 88

HOUSTON – Kevin Garnett scored six of his 27 points in the last two minutes, and Sam Cassell added 24 points to help the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 94-88 victory over the Rockets on Monday night.

Maurice Taylor, Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley had 17 points apiece for Houston.

Minnesota had lost four straight games in Houston since a 90-88 victory on Nov. 3, 2001.

Garnett’s two free throws gave Minnesota an 88-86 lead with 41 seconds to play, but Francis tied it seven seconds later with a 14-foot jumper.

Garnett hit a 10-foot fadeaway jumper with 18 seconds left to put Minnesota back on top. Yao Ming missed a shot just inside the top of the circle with 10 seconds left, and Lattrell Sprewell hit two free throws with 8 seconds remaining to wrap it up.

Cassell hit two more free throws with one second to play for the final score.

After a back-and-forth third period, Minnesota scored nine straight points, including the last six by Wally Szczerbiak, to take a 79-70 lead with 6:53 remaining.

But Houston scored 10 straight points to regain the lead at 80-79 with 3:20 to play. Baskets by Taylor and Yao made it 84-81 with 2:18 to play.

A 9-2 run gave Minnesota a 22-12 lead with 3:33 to play the first quarter. Garnett scored 10 and Cassell eight in the period as the Timberwolves led 28-20 to start the second quarter.

Yao and Taylor scored four points each in a 9-0 run that gave Houston its first lead of the night at 36-35 with 5:20 left in the first half. The lead changed hands three more times before Houston took a 43-42 edge into the break.

When Francis hit one of two free throws to give Houston a 65-64 lead with 2:21 to play in the third quarter, all five Houston starters had 12 points apiece. Francis had the Rockets’ final four points of the period to bring them to a 68-68 tie after three.

Notes: After beating Milwaukee on Sunday, the Rockets are 8-8 on the first night of back-to-back games and 11-5 on the second nights, including 4-1 on second nights played at home. … The victory allowed Minnesota to match last season’s win total of 51. … The Timberwolves’ 24-14 record is the best road mark in the Western Conference.

AP-ES-03-29-04 2311EST