Raptors Lose Camby, Fall to Kings

The Raptors lost more than a basketball game Tuesday night.

Rookie Marcus Camby was rushed to hospital with limited feeling in his legs after collapsing on the court prior to the Sacramento Kings’ 98-87 victory over the Raptors.

Camby, the 1995-96 college player of the year and the second player chosen in the draft, fell to the floor at about 5:30 p.m. and lay motionless for about 25 minutes while a neck brace was applied. It took six paramedics and trainers to put the 6-foot-11 Camby on a stretcher for the 10-minute trip to Toronto Western Hospital for tests.

Camby, who is expected to make a full recovery, later returned to SkyDome for a news conference. “I did a reverse pivot and when I turned to go up I twisted something,� said Camby, who expects to sit out about one week. “I couldn’t feel anything. Everything went numb. Then, in the ambulance, the feeling started to come back.�

Houston 102, Portland 101 (OT)--Charles Barkley had 30 points and 14 rebounds, the final one under Portland’s basket with 2.3 seconds left in overtime, as the Rockets overcame an early 19-point deficit to edge the Trail Blazers at Houston.

It was Houston’s seventh consecutive victory and the Rockets are 13-1, tied with Chicago for the best record in the NBA. The loss ended Portland’s four-game winning streak.

Hakeem Olajuwon, returning to the lineup after sitting out a week because of an irregular heartbeat, scored 27 points in 41 minutes.

Dallas 105, San Antonio 101--Chris Gatling came off the bench to score 26 points, including two clinching free throws with 1.5 seconds left, as the Mavericks handed the Spurs their sixth consecutive loss.

George McCloud scored 22 points and Jim Jackson 21 for the Mavericks. Dominique Wilkins led the shorthanded Spurs with 32 points to move past Alex English into seventh place on the NBA’s career scoring list with 25,627 points.

Denver 117, Phoenix 108--Dale Ellis scored 28 points and Brooks Thompson came off the bench to add a career-high 26 at Denver as Dick Motta won his first game as the Nuggets’ coach after replacing Bernie Bickerstaff earlier in the day.

Kevin Johnson had 34 points for Phoenix, which lost for a franchise-high 13th consecutive time--and the fifth time under new Coach Danny Ainge.

Atlanta 101, Vancouver 80--Led by Dikembe Mutombo’s 21-rebound, 14-point performance, the Hawks built an 18-point lead in the first quarter at Atlanta and had no problem holding on.

The Hawks won their third consecutive game to go two games above .500 (8-6) for the first time this season.

Charlotte 97, Seattle 89--The SuperSonics’ 11-game winning streak ended as Glen Rice scored 24 points and the Hornets turned up the defensive pressure in the second half at Charlotte, N.C.

Anthony Mason had his first career triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists to help the Hornets win their fourth consecutive game.

Miami 107, Golden State 88--Dan Majerle made six three-point shots and scored a season-high 23 points and Alonzo Mourning added 22 points and eight blocked shots, leading the Heat at San Jose.