Suns Can’t Tolerate Falling to Celtics

Losing to the Boston Celtics can bring out the worst in players.

Todd Day scored 13 of his season-high 25 points in the fourth quarter Sunday night to lead the Celtics to a 109-102 victory over Phoenix on Sunday night at Boston in a game marred by a near altercation between Sun Coach Danny Ainge and forward Robert Horry.

When Horry was pulled late in the game, he appeared to throw a towel at Ainge before being restrained by teammates.

“I’ve always been a fighter ever since I was in high school and college,” Horry said. “Sometimes when you have a lot of emotions you come back, even at coaches.

“We’re not playing well. I came from a situation where I was used to playing a lot of minutes. Here, I get yanked in and out.”

Ainge said Horry, who was traded to the Suns after winning two NBA titles with the Houston Rockets, apologized to him and the team, which would meet to decide what disciplinary action to take, if any.

“I understand his frustration, but it’s not an excuse,” said Ainge, who was coaching his first game against his former team.

Neither team held more than a four-point lead in the second half before Boston opened the final quarter with a 15-6 run for a 91-84 lead with barely under seven minutes to play. Day ignited the run with three three-point baskets over a 2:47 span.

Ainge played for the Celtics for more than seven seasons and was a member of the championship teams in 1984 and 1986.

New York 97, Milwaukee 92--Patrick Ewing scored 32 points, one short of his season-high, and the Knicks used their second-half defense to win their 10th consecutive home game.

Ewing also had 11 rebounds and six blocked shots, and his turnaround jumper from the baseline with 53 seconds left ended the Bucks’ final rally.

Vin Baker led Milwaukee with 25 points, and his three-point basket with 47 seconds left ended New York’s string of six consecutive games holding opponents to less than 90 points.

Sacramento 107, Philadelphia 106--Mitch Richmond’s jumper with 4.5 seconds to play gave the Kings a dramatic victory at Sacramento.

Double-teamed with the clock running down, Richmond, who finished with 24 points, made the fallaway jumper to rescue the Kings, who ended a three-game losing streak.

“I think we expect him to make it, Mitch has been doing it ever since I’ve been here,” King forward Billy Owens said. “We’re real comfortable when he’s got the ball in his hands in that situation.”

Rookie Allen Iverson missed a running shot with one second left in the game for the 76ers, who have lost 15 of their last 16.

Trailing, 105-103, the 76ers tied the score when Don MacLean and Iverson both made one of two free throws.