The AP reports: A new-look starting five did the job for the struggling Toronto Raptors. Chris Bosh scored 21 points and T.J. Ford had 13 points and nine assists in his return to the starting lineup as the Raptors beat the Detroit Pistons 89-82 on Wednesday night… Rasho Nesterovic had 15 points and Jose Calderon 13 as Toronto won for just the fourth time in 15 games. The Raptors avoided falling below .500 for the first time since a loss at Cleveland on Nov. 24 dropped them to 6-7… Chauncey Billups scored 24 points, and Rodney Stuckey tied a career high with 16, including 14 in the fourth… The Pistons were without leading scorer Richard Hamilton (sore left hip) for the second consecutive game.
Day: March 27, 2008
Mar. 26: Hornets 100, Cavs 99
The AP reports: David West calmly dropped a 17-foot jumper—coming on Paul’s 20th and most impressive assist—with 0.6 seconds remaining to give the New Orleans Hornets their fifth straight win, 100-99 over Cleveland on Wednesday night. LeBron James’ driving layup had given the Cavaliers a 99-98 lead with 7.7 seconds left before Paul and West, the Hornets’ All-Star duo, teamed up for the game-winner… Peja Stojakovic scored 25 points — 18 on 3-pointers — David West added 20 points and Chris Paul 15 for the Hornets, who came in with the Western Conference’s best record and improved to 2-0 on a six-game road trip against Eastern Conference teams… Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored a season-high 29 points with 15 rebounds. LeBron James had 21 points and eight assists, but wasn’t able to get a defensive stop in the closing seconds against Paul, one of his closest friends. Anderson Varejao added 15 rebounds for the Cavaliers.
Mar. 26: Sixers 121, Bulls 99
The AP reports: Andre Miller hit all the right targets and had a season-high 18 assists, Lou Williams scored 23 points and Philadelphia romped again, this time in a 121-99 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night… That fast-paced, push the ball for easy baskets style of play helped the Sixers outscore the Bulls 30-2 in fast-break points en route to their 19th victory in their last 24 games… Andre Iguodala scored 21 points and Thaddeus Young had 20… Thabo Sefolosha led the Bulls with 20 points, Kirk Hinrich had 18 and Andres Nocioni 16.
Mar. 26: Celtics 117, Suns 97
The AP reports: Kevin Garnett scored 30 points, sinking the final two to an “M-V-P!” chant echoing through the new Boston Garden, and Paul Pierce had 12 of his 27 in the fourth quarter to help the Celtics snap a two-game losing streak… Kendrick Perkins had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Ray Allen had 14 points and eight assists for Boston, which snapped a two-game losing streak. Rajon Rondo scored 14 with six rebounds and six assists while pestering Shaquille O’Neal into a technical foul as Boston turned a tie game into a double-digit lead in the third. Amare Stoudemire scored 32 and Shaquille O’Neal had 16 with seven rebounds for the Suns, who brought a seven-game winning streak into Detroit on Monday night but lost 110-105 in overtime.
Mar. 26: Hawks 115, Bucks 96
The AP reports: Joe Johnson scored 28 points, Josh Childress added 20 and the Hawks beat the Milwaukee Bucks 115-96 on Wednesday night to maintain the eighth and final playoff position in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta also escaped a major scare when X-rays of Bibby’s left thumb came back negative… Andrew Bogut led the Bucks with 27 points and nine rebounds, but the 7-foot center left the game after Marvin Williams accidentally hit him in the face midway through the fourth… Michael Redd finished with 20 points for Milwaukee, which has lost seven straight on the road.