The AP reports: Running out of forwards and centers, the Utah Jazz turned to rookie Kosta Koufos and seldom-used Kyrylo Fesenko. Both came through with career high scoring nights and anchored a patchwork lineup as Utah beat the weary Dallas Mavericks 97-88 on Friday night. Koufos scored 18 points and Fesenko added eight points as the short-handed Jazz pulled ahead early and never gave up the lead, ending Dallas’ three-game winning streak… With Utah missing its top three scorers and rebounders in Carlos Boozer (quad), Paul Millsap (knee) and Mehmet Okur (back), Koufos made his sixth career start and had his best game since leaving Ohio State after his freshman year… Koufos was 8-for-11 and also had eight rebounds and the Jazz outscored the Mavericks 52-34 in the paint and topped his previous career high of 12 points… Reserve Jason Terry led Dallas with 26 points. Nowitzki had 17 points and eight rebounds before he was tossed for backhanding Matt Harpring with 9:48 left in the game after Fesenko scored on an offensive rebound.
Month: December 2008
Dec 26: Grizzlies 108, Pacers 105
The AP reports: Trailing by 17 points early, the Memphis Grizzlies refused to fold. O.J. Mayo scored 18 points, including two key free throws with a second left, and Memphis rallied past the Indiana Pacers 108-105 on Friday night to snap a four-game slide… Hakim Warrick paced Memphis with 21 points off the bench, one of seven Grizzlies in double figures. Darko Milicic scored a season-high 14 before leaving with an injury early in the second half. Marc Gasol matched Milicic’s 14 points, Rudy Gay finished with 13 and Mike Conley had 12 to go with three steals. Mayo added eight rebounds and a career-high seven assists. Marquis Daniels led the Pacers with a season-high 28 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter as Indiana tried to stay close. Danny Granger scored 26 points before colliding with teammate Jarrett Jack with 10:08 to play. Granger went to the locker room with a concussion and did not return… Roy Hibbert had 15 points for Indiana, hitting all seven of his shots before getting into foul trouble.
Dec 26: Hornets 88, Rockets 79
The AP reports: Chris Paul and his Hornets teammates had a lousy Christmas, so they took it out on the Houston Rockets. Paul had 26 points and 10 assists, and New Orleans snapped a two-game skid with an 88-79 victory over Houston on Friday night. David West added 23 points and Rasual Butler 13 for the Hornets, who took an early lead and never trailed, mindful of their dreadful, 88-68 loss in Orlando on Christmas Day… Yao Ming had 19 points and 12 rebounds for Houston, which dropped its second straight game. Tracy McGrady was held to 11 points, missing nine of his 11 shots from the field… Tyson Chandler had 14 points and 12 rebounds, including a crucial tip-in with 2:32 left and a late offensive rebound on a tip-out to Paul that helped seal the victory.
Dec 26: Pistons 90, Thunder 88
The AP reports: A week after passing up a chance at a winning shot against the Utah Jazz, Allen Iverson hit an off-balance runner with 0.2 seconds left to give the Detroit Pistons a 90-88 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night… Iverson led the Pistons with 22 points, and Tayshaun Prince added 16 points and 11 rebounds. Kevin Durant had 26 points and eight rebounds for the Thunder. The Pistons looked sluggish for most of the first three quarters. Oklahoma City shot 39 percent through three periods, but trailed only 66-63 heading into the fourth.
Dec 26: Wolves 120, Knicks 107
The AP reports: Kevin McHale turned to prayer, though it wasn’t really needed. The combination of Al Jefferson inside and some sizzling 3-point shooting was more than enough. The Timberwolves snapped a 13-game losing streak and won for the first time this season under McHale, getting a season-best 23 points from Rashad McCants in a 120-107 victory over the New York Knicks on Friday night… Jefferson added 21 points and 15 rebounds in the Timberwolves’ first victory since beating Oklahoma City on Nov. 28. They had dropped their first eight games under McHale, who took over when Randy Wittman was fired Dec. 8… Sebastian Telfair finished with a season-high 20 points in his hometown and Randy Foye had 19 for the Wolves, who overran New York by using the Knicks’ primary weapon, the 3-pointer… Nate Robinson and Al Harrington each scored 26 points for the Knicks, who lost their fifth straight. Wilson Chandler scored 19, but New York allowed its highest point total ever against Minnesota.
Dec 26: Bobcats 95, Nets 87
The AP reports: A little more than two weeks after acquiring Boris Diaw and Raja Bell from the Phoenix Suns, the Charlotte Bobcats are showing signs that they can be a good team. Raymond Felton scored 22 points, Emeka Okafor added 21 and the new-look Bobcats won for the fourth time in five games with a 95-87 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Friday night… Boris Diaw, who finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, drove the lane for a basket with 3:01 to play after the Nets’ Devin Harris hit a layup to cut the Charlotte lead to 83-81… Vince Carter had 19 points to lead the Nets, while Lopez and Harris added 14 apiece… New Jersey is now 5-11 at the Izod Center this season.
Dec 26: Heat 90, Bulls 77
The AP reports: Dwyane Wade scored 28 points, Daequan Cook hit three big 3-pointers in the fourth quarter as Miami pulled away, and the Heat eclipsed last season’s win total by dominating the second half and beating the Bulls 90-77 on Friday. Mario Chalmers had 16 points and six assists while Beasley—the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft, after the Bulls chose Derrick Rose—scored eight of his 14 in the fourth for Miami (16-12), which won its fourth straight and surpassed the dismal 15-67 mark of a season ago… Ben Gordon had 15 points for the Bulls, who shot just 37 percent. Larry Hughes scored 13 for Chicago and Derrick Rose finished with only 10 on 3-for-14 shooting… Udonis Haslem tied a season-high with 14 rebounds, while Cook scored 12 points for the Heat. Aaron Gray had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Bulls. Chicago lost forward Luol Deng to a sprained left ankle with 7:52 left in the third quarter.
Paul Millsap out 7-10 days
The following is a medical update on Utah Jazz forward Paul Millsap, who injured his left knee in the first half of the game at Milwaukee on December 23.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests conducted on Millsap’s left knee on Wednesday showed that Millsap suffered a sprained posterior cruciate ligament (PCL).
Millsap will not play in Friday’s game vs. Dallas, marking the first game he has missed in his NBA career. His streak will end at 194 straight games played, which was the seventh-longest active streak in the NBA. Millsap will not travel with the team to Houston for tomorrow night’s game at the Rockets and is expected to miss seven to 10 days of action.
Damon Jones to join Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks and Damon Jones have mutually decided that he will join the team effective immediately. Jones is scheduled to be with the Bucks Saturday night when they take on the Detroit Pistons at 7:30 p.m. at the Bradley Center.
Jones, 32, has been inactive for all 30 games of the Bucks season to date.
Jones (6-3, 195) was acquired from Cleveland on August 13, 2008, in a three-team deal that also included Oklahoma City. Milwaukee also received Adrian Griffin and Luke Ridnour from the Thunder, the Cavaliers added Mo Williams, while Oklahoma City acquired Joe Smith and Desmond Mason.
Rockets assign Joey Dorsey to D-League
Houston Rockets forward Joey Dorsey was assigned to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets’ NBA Development League affiliate, it was announced Friday. Dorsey is the 14th player to be assigned from an NBA team to the NBA D-League this season.
Originally selected in the second round, 33rd overall, of the 2008 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, Dorsey was traded to Houston on Draft night and appeared in three regular season games for the Rockets, scoring two points and grabbing one rebound. In four preseason games, Dorsey averaged 3.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists.
Dorsey, 6-8, was a four-year contributor at Memphis, where he averaged 6.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.8 blocks during his NCAA career. For his efforts, he earned First Team All-Conference USA honors as a junior and Second Team honors during his senior season. He was also named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and earned league All-Defensive Team honors during his final two years at Memphis. Dorsey finished his collegiate career as Conference USA’s all-time leader in rebounding (1,209), which also ranks second all-time in Memphis history. Additionally, Dorsey ranks as the school’s all-time leader in field goal percentage (.614, 400-of-641), and is second all-time in school history in blocked shots (265).