The AP reports: After losing three straight games to start a long road trip, the Houston Rockets are grateful for any road win—even a narrow one over the team with the NBA’s worst record. The Rockets blew a 15-point second-half lead, but Tracy McGrady capped a 26-point outing with two critical free throws with 8.2 seconds left as they edged the Oklahoma City Thunder 98-96 on Friday night… Houston’s Yao Ming struggled much of the game, not making his first basket until early in the third quarter, missing a dunk later in that quarter and committing two offensive fouls in the fourth quarter. The 7-foot-6 center finished 3-of-10 from the field and scored 14 points—well below his 19.8-point average—but nine of those came in the final 4:22… Russell Westbrook scored 15 points for Oklahoma City.
Day: January 10, 2009
76ers win third straight game, beat Bobcats
The AP reports: The Philadelphia 76ers are running again, their scoring is up and they’re ascending the Eastern Conference standings. Andre Miller had 22 points and six assists, Thaddeus Young scored 15 points and the Sixers won their third straight, 93-87 over the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday night. The Sixers have rapidly put a 1-5 trip behind them and won their third game this week to get out of last place in the Atlantic Division and into the Eastern Conference playoff race… Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams each scored 12 points and the Sixers had the fast-break edge, 20-4… Emeka Okafor had 24 points and 11 rebounds for the Bobcats.
Magic lead by 38 at half, rout Hawks 121-87
The AP reports: The Orlando Magic won their 11th straight home game and put on their most devastating offensive show of the season in routing the Atlanta Hawks 121-87 on Friday night… Orlando scored a season-high 41 points in the first quarter, then tied its season highs for points in a half (71) and game. The Magic also tied a season high with 16 3-pointers. Turkoglu hit all five of his attempts from long range and reserve J.J. Redick was 4-of-5 from behind the arc while scoring a season-high 15 points. Dwight Howard had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Jameer Nelson added 14 points and nine assists… The Hawks starters, by contrast, were only 15-of-48 from the field and only Joe Johnson reached double figures with 11. Acie Law scored 16 and fellow reserve Solomon Jones added 12 points and eight rebounds for Atlanta.
Bosh scores 32 to lift Raptors over Grizzlies
The AP reports: Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani handled the Memphis Grizzlies with relative ease. How they fare against the defending NBA champions will show whether the Toronto Raptors are back on track, or simply beating up bad teams. Bosh had 32 points and 10 rebounds, Bargnani added 21 points and the Raptors beat Grizzlies 103-82 on Friday night. Bosh shot 11-for-13 from the field and 10-for-12 from the line to help Toronto pull away in the fourth quarter and extend its home winning streak to a season-high three games… Rudy Gay scored 22 points for Memphis, which has lost 11 of 13. The Grizzlies have been held under 90 five times in the past six games… Hakim Warrick scored 18 and Kyle Lowry added 12 for Memphis, which has lost five straight on the road. The Grizzlies are 2-15 away from home.
Kings assign Donte Greene to D-League
The Sacramento Kings have assigned Donte Greene to the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League, Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie announced tonight.
Greene, a 6-10, 226-pound forward, who currently is in his rookie season with Sacramento, is averaging 4.5 points (.388 FGs, .316 3FGs, .842 FTs) and 1.8 rebounds per game through 24 contests, of which he has started four.
Drafted by Memphis as an undergraduate out of Syracuse in the first-round (28th overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft, Greene was traded to Houston before being acquired by the Kings via trade along with guard Bobby Jackson, a 2009 first-round draft selection and cash considerations in exchange for forward Ron Artest, rookie guard Sean Singletary and rookie forward Patrick Ewing, Jr.