The AP reports: Allen Iverson left the game briefly after bumping knees with Washington’s Mike James but returned to finish with 28 points on 10-for-16 shooting in the Pistons’ third straight victory, 88-74 over the Wizards. Rodney Stuckey added 18 points and matched his career high with 11 assists for Detroit, which went on a 12-3 run midway through the fourth quarter after the Wizards had pulled to 63-62. The Pistons allowed only three field goals in the final 9 minutes… Tayshaun Prince added 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Richard Hamilton scored 12 points for the Pistons, 6-1 when Stuckey starts at the point… Mike James, inserted into the starting lineup Wednesday, scored 16 points to lead the Wizards. Jamison had 14 points and 11 rebounds despite a sprained thumb suffered early in the game, and Andray Blatche added 10 points and 11 rebounds for Washington, an Eastern Conference-worst 4-19.
Day: December 18, 2008
Dec 17: Pacers 127, Warriors 120
The AP reports: Danny Granger took a major step in his evolution into a team leader with his fourth-quarter effort against Golden State. The Indiana forward scored 41 points in the Pacers’ 127-120 victory Wednesday night. Most important, he scored 13 points in the final 6 1/2 minutes to carry his short-handed team… Jarrett Jack scored 24 points, Marquis Daniels added 23, and rookie Brandon Rush had 10 points and 11 rebounds in his second career start for Indiana. Jamal Crawford scored 29 points, Marco Belinelli had a career-high 21 points, and Andris Biedrins had 16 points and 10 rebounds for Golden State… Indiana played without starters T.J. Ford and Troy Murphy.
Dec 17: Mavs 96, Raptors 86
The AP reports: Down by 12 points after one quarter, the Dallas Mavericks knew better than to panic. Instead, they waited for the struggling Toronto Raptors to crack. It didn’t take long. Dirk Nowitzki had 27 points and 10 rebounds, and Jason Terry also scored 27 points in the Mavericks’ 96-86 victory over the Raptors on Wednesday night… Josh Howard added 20 points for Dallas in his first start since Nov. 18. Howard, who came off the bench Monday night in a loss to Denver after missing 11 games because of a sprained ankle, scored Dallas’ first nine points and had 11 in the first quarter… Jermaine O’Neal scored 19 points for the Raptors, who have lost three straight and are 2-6 since Jay Triano replaced Sam Mitchell as head coach Dec. 3.
Dec 17: Celtics 88, Hawks 85
The AP reports: The Boston Celtics looked to Kevin Garnett in the fourth quarter. Garnett scored 10 of his 18 points in the final quarter, and Atlanta’s Joe Johnson missed a late free throw that would have tied it, helping the Celtics beat the Hawks 88-85 on Wednesday night for their 16th straight victory. After Johnson missed the second of two free throws with 2.7 seconds, Ray Allen made a pair of free throws with 0.7 seconds left for the defending NBA champion Celtics, who have a franchise-best 24-2 record. It was only the second loss in 10 home games for the Hawks… Joe Johnson led Atlanta with 20 points, 10 in the final period. He was 7-of-7 from the line before the miss. Marvin Williams added 16 points, and Josh Smith and Mike Bibby had 14 each for the Hawks.
Dec 17: Sixers 93, Bucks 88
The AP reports: Lou Williams matched his career high with 25 points in a reserve role, Miller added 19, and the Philadelphia 76ers overcame the loss of forward Elton Brand to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 93-88. Brand dislocated his right shoulder with 7:23 left in the third quarter after landing on Milwaukee’s Luc Mbah a Moute. Marreese Speights tied his career high with 12 points, and Thaddeus Young had 10 to help the Sixers improve to 11-14 overall and 2-0 under interim coach Tony DiLeo. DiLeo replaced the fired Maurice Cheeks on Saturday. Luke Ridnour and Charlie Bell scored 14 points each for Milwaukee, and Mbah a Moute added 13. Richard Jefferson and Charlie Villanueva had 11 apiece. The loss ended the Bucks’ two-game winning streak.
Mike Dunleavy happy to be gone from Warriors
The San Francisco Chronicle (Jon Shea) reports: Mike Dunleavy put up career numbers last season and said Wednesday it wouldn’t have happened if he still were a Warrior. “That wasn’t possible out there,” said Dunleavy, referring to Oakland. “It’s no coincidence so many guys who come from Golden State go elsewhere and succeed. The proof is in the pudding. I take responsibility for certain things. You look at guys who went elsewhere after leaving Golden State, they found a way. Whatever that means or says, you could read it through.” Dunleavy hasn’t played this season because of a sore right knee but said he still hopes to play a significant number of games “and pick up where I left off.”
Elton Brand dislocates shoulder
The AP reports: Philadelphia forward Elton Brand dislocated a shoulder and left the 76ers’ game against Milwaukee last night. Brand injured his right shoulder with 7:23 remaining to be played in the third quarter after landing on Milwaukee’s Luc Mbah a Moute. Brand had four points and six rebounds before going to the dressing room.