NEW YORK – With three key players out with injuries, Stephon Marbury had 38 points and nine assists to lead the New York Knicks past the Toronto Raptors 108-101 Friday night.

Tim Thomas and Penny Hardaway did not play because of groin injuries, and Allan Houston (bruised quadriceps) played just eight minutes. Reserves DerMarr Johnson and Michael Sweetney made big contributions, with Johnson producing 15 points and seven rebounds.

Sweetney, a rookie forward, hit a pair of free throws, stole a loose ball from Vince Carter and dunked to put New York up 80-79 in the fourth quarter, and the Knicks never trailed again. Sweetney finished with eight points and nine rebounds.

Carter scored 40 for Toronto and was, at times, unstoppable. His 10 points in the third quarter helped the Raptors to a 66-55 lead, and the forward nearly erased Sweetney’s contributions in the fourth quarter. Carter faked a pass, and the Knicks forward left him alone for a 3-pointer that cut New York’s lead to 91-86 with 3:28 left.

Marbury drove and was fouled and converted both, putting the Knicks up 93-86 with 2:37 left. The Knicks hit 17 of 17 free throws in the fourth quarter – most after the Raptors were forced to foul – to hold Toronto off.

76ers 86, Cavaliers 71

PHILADELPHIA – John Salmons had a career-high 22 points in leading Philadelphia to a 86-71 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night, keeping the Sixers’ once-fading playoff hopes alive.

Kenny Thomas had 19 points and Eric Snow added 13 assists for the Sixers, who won their third straight game – all without injured All-Star Allen Iverson.

Cleveland lost its fourth in a row, while Philadelphia pulled within one game of the Cavaliers, who began the night with a half-game lead over Boston for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

LeBron James had 16 points on 5-for-13 shooting to lead Cleveland, which had won seven straight prior to its slide. Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored 15.

Salmons sank a pair of 3-pointers in the third quarter, including one with 6:02 remaining that gave the Sixers a 15-point lead.

Pacers 107, Magic 92

ORLANDO, Fla. – Ron Artest scored a career-high 35 points, leading the Indiana Pacers to 107-92 victory Friday night over the Orlando Magic as All-Stars Jermaine O’Neal and Tracy McGrady sat out.

O’Neal, Indiana’s leading scorer and rebounder, was sidelined by a bruised right knee. Al Harrington had 19 points in his place. Jeff Foster added 16 points and 11 rebounds in the Pacers’ third straight victory.

Reggie Miller was scoreless, taking only two shots.

The Magic, losers of seven straight, played without the NBA’s leading scorer, McGrady, who was sidelined by tendinitis in his left knee. His condition is day-to-day.

With more shots available, Tyronn Lue set a career-high with 32 points and Juwan Howard added 24. Lue’s 13 field goals and 19 attempts also were career bests.

Suns 99, Hornets 94

NEW ORLEANS – Amare Stoudemire scored 25 points while Shawn Marion had 20 points and 10 rebounds in the Phoenix Suns’ 99-94 victory over the New Orleans Hornets.

New Orleans lost its second straight game without leading scorer Baron Davis, who’s expected to be out up to two weeks while the Hornets embark on a five-game West Coast trip.

New Orleans shot 9-of-18 in the final period, including 4-of-6 3-pointers – three by Steve Smith. Jamaal Magloire’s jump hook had the Hornets as close as 95-94 with 35 seconds left, but Joe Johnson ended his 17-point performance by hitting a jumper over David Wesley with 13 seconds to go.

The Hornets needed a 3-pointer to tie, but Wesley went for a leaner from near the foul line. It bounced off the rim toward the sideline, and Phoenix regained control with under two seconds left.

Bucks 115, Bulls 105

CHICAGO – The Milwaukee Bucks remained in fifth place in the Eastern Conference and overcame an injury to Keith Van Horn to defeat the Chicago Bulls 115-105 Friday night behind 23 points from Joe Smith and 22 from Desmond Mason.

Milwaukee snapped a five-game losing streak to the Bulls in Chicago.

Van Horn did not return after spraining his left ankle in the first quarter. He scored six points.

In his third appearance with Chicago, Jannero Pargo tied a franchise record for most 3’s in a game with seven. Michael Jordan and Jalen Rose share the record. Pargo scored a career-high 34 points, shooting 13-for-22 from the floor with nine assists.

Grizzlies 109, Rockets 86

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Stromile Swift had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and the surging Memphis Grizzlies rode a big early lead to a 109-86 victory Friday night over the Houston Rockets.

Jason Williams added 18 points as Memphis won its fourth straight game and 12th in its last 14.

Five Grizzlies finished in double figures in a game so lopsided that most of the starters from both teams were on the bench for the final 10 minutes. Memphis led by 20 points after the first quarter. The Grizzlies led by as many as 29 points, with Houston getting no closer than 13 in the second quarter.

James Posey, Pau Gasol and Bonzi Wells added 12 points apiece for Memphis. Swift also blocked two shots.

Heat 119, Mavericks 118

MIAMI – Rafer Alston’s 3-pointer with 0.5 seconds left in overtime lifted Miami to a 119-118 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, extending the Heat’s winning streak to seven games.

Marquis Daniels scored a career-high 31 points for the Mavericks, who lost their third in a row. Dirk Nowitzki added 25 before fouling out with 1:53 left in the fourth quarter.

Dwyane Wade had 24 points for Miami, which also extended its home winning streak to eight games. Lamar Odom added 26 points and 18 rebounds, and Eddie Jones and Alston each scored 20.

Odom hit the first of two free throws after he was intentionally fouled to pull Miami to 118-116 with 4.1 seconds left. Odom missed the second free throw, and the ball was tipped out of bounds off Antoine Walker’s back with 2.5 seconds left. Alston caught the inbounds pass from Caron Butler and sank the winning 3-pointer from the left corner.

It was Alston’s fifth 3-pointer, his fourth in the final 17 minutes when he scored 15 of his 20 points.

Antawn Jamison’s jumper with 1:32 left in overtime gave Dallas a 114-113 edge. Following a missed jumper by Miami’s Brian Grant and a Mavericks turnover, Odom worked in close but missed a shot with 34.3 seconds left. Daniels then hit a jumper.

Following a timeout, Odom drove the lane, hit the layup and was fouled with 29 seconds in OT. But he missed the tying free throw.

Jamison’s put back with 4.7 seconds left gave the Mavericks a 118-115 lead and set up the hectic finish.

The victory gave Miami its longest winning streak since a seven-game string March 28-April 9, 2000.

In the fourth quarter, Daniels hit a jumper to give Dallas a 106-101 lead with 1:39 left. Alston answered with a 3-pointer, and Jones’ two free throws with 54.4 seconds remaining tied the score.

Daniels, who scored 18 second-half points, missed a short jumper with 32 seconds left, Miami grabbed the ball and called a timeout with 24.4 on the clock.

Alston drove and missed with 14.2 left, and Nash missed a jumper in the final second.

Nowitzki fouled out with Dallas ahead 104-99 and 1:53 left in the fourth quarter.

The Mavericks, who have lost eight of 13, fell to 1-3 on their current road trip.

Dallas closed the third quarter with a 15-6 run that built an 84-81 lead. Danny Fortson scored 11 points in 11 minutes of the third quarter.

Jones scored 14 points and Odom had 11 points and 11 rebounds to help the Heat take a 57-54 halftime edge. It was the 12th consecutive game Miami led at halftime.

Nowitzki had 14 points and eight rebounds in the first half, when both teams were 22-of-47 from the field.

Notes: Dallas swingman Michael Finley, listed as day-to-day with a strained right calf, missed his second consecutive game. He sat on the bench in street clothes. … Alston extended his consecutive game streak with at least one 3-pointer to 38. … Wade had five dunks. … Miami improved to 25-12 at home. Dallas fell to 14-23 on the road. … The Mavericks had won six of the previous seven meetings with Miami. … It was the Heat’s first nationally televised game since April 10, 2002.

AP-ES-03-26-04 2322EST