Sport in Short: Basketball

NBA: Portland Trail Blazers 117 Washington Bullets 98; LA Clippers 112 Indiana Pacers 101; LA Lakers 114 Milwaukee Bucks 96.

----------------------------------------------------------------- EASTERN CONFERENCE ----------------------------------------------------------------- Atlantic Division ----------------------------------------------------------------- W L Pct GB New York Knicks 12 7 .632 - New Jersey Nets 11 9 .550 1 Orlando Magic 8 9 .471 3 Boston Celtics 9 11 .450 3 Washington Bullets 7 13 .350 5 Philadelphia 76ers 5 12 .294 6 Miami Heat 5 13 .278 6 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Central Division ----------------------------------------------------------------- Chicago Bulls 13 6 .684 - Indiana Pacers 11 9 .550 2 Charlotte Hornets 11 9 .550 2 Atlanta Hawks 10 9 .526 3 Milwaukee Bucks 10 10 .500 3 Cleveland Cavaliers 9 11 .450 4 Detroit Pistons 7 10 .412 5 ----------------------------------------------------------------- WESTERN CONFERENCE ----------------------------------------------------------------- Midwest Division ----------------------------------------------------------------- Utah Jazz 12 6 .667 - Houston Rockets 11 6 .647 San Antonio Spurs 9 9 .500 3 Denver Nuggets 7 11 .389 5 Minnesota Timberwolves 5 12 .294 6 Dallas Mavericks 1 15 .063 10 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Pacific Division ----------------------------------------------------------------- Phoenix Suns 14 4 .778 - Portland Trail Blazers 13 6 .684 1 Los Angeles Lakers 12 6 .667 2 Seattle SuperSonics 12 7 .632 2 Los Angeles Clippers 12 7 .632 2 Golden State Warriors 8 11 .421 6 Sacramento Kings 6 12 .333 8 -----------------------------------------------------------------

WARE REBELS, of the Carlsberg League Second Division, have a home tie against Worthing Bears in the quarter- finals of the National Cup after defeating another First Division club, Hemel Hempstead Royals, 96-93 in the third round at the weekend.

NATIONAL CUP Quarter-final draw: Men: Derby Bucks v Leicester City Riders; Cheshire Jets v Thames Valley Tigers; Ware Rebels v Worthing Bears; Manchester Giants v Guildford Kings. Women: Ipswich v London Jets; Nottingham v Milton Keynes; Chesham v Sheffield Hatters; London YMCA v Northampton.