The AP reports: Eric Gordon scored a career-high 41 points in 43 1/2 minutes on the court, and Al Thornton had a season-high 34 points, leading the Clippers to a 107-104 victory over Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night… Kevin Durant had a career night, too, with 46 points and 15 rebounds. Last season’s rookie of the year made a franchise-record 24 free throws in his 26 attempts, while the Clippers were 20-for-24 from the line… Also missing were the usual suspects, Zach Randolph (left knee), Baron Davis (bruised tailbone) Marcus Camby (left ankle), Chris Kaman (left arch) and Mike Taylor (broken right thumb).
Month: January 2009
Duncan’s 30 leads Spurs over Nets
The AP reports: The slumping Nets scraped and matched San Antonio nearly shot-for-shot throughout a tense fourth quarter, but Duncan scored six of his 30 points down the stretch and Michael Finley sank a backbreaking 3-pointer with 22.6 seconds left to lift the Spurs to a 94-91 win on Friday night. Duncan also grabbed 15 boards—his 28th double-double this season—in carrying San Antonio to its fourth straight win heading into a three-game road swing out West that will be its toughest so far… Devin Harris scored 27 and Vince Carter had 26 for the Nets, who left the court flustered with how their fifth straight loss ended.
Calderon returns as Raptors beat Bulls
The AP reports: Jose Calderon made it clear just how important he is to the Toronto Raptors in his return from a hamstring injury. Calderon had 23 points on 9-of-10 shooting and added 10 assists to help the Raptors snap a seven-game losing streak with a 114-94 victory over Chicago on Friday night… Andrea Bargnani finished with 22 points, and Bosh had 17 points and six rebounds. Ben Gordon scored 19 points for Chicago. The Bulls have lost four straight.
Wolves rally to beat Hornets
The AP reports: Al Jefferson had 24 points and 14 rebounds and Minnesota controlled the paint in a 116-108 victory over the Hornets… Randy Foye had 24 points and eight assists and Rodney Carney scored 12 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter for Minnesota. The Timberwolves scored 52 points in the paint against the league’s best post defense and held a 42-26 rebounding advantage to improve to 8-2 this month, tied with Orlando for best in the NBA. James Posey had 24 points and tied a career high with seven 3-pointers for New Orleans. Chris Paul added 23 points and 12 assists. New Orleans was able to overcome the absences of Chandler (left ankle) and West (back) down low against New Jersey on Wednesday, but not on this night.
New coach, another loss: Grizz fall 108-88 at NY
The AP reports: The Memphis Grizzlies looked like a team energized by a coaching change a day after their coach was fired. For about five minutes, at least. After that, the Grizzlies and Knicks resumed their streaks in opposite directions: Memphis lost its season-high eighth straight game, while New York matched its best run of the season with its third consecutive victory, a 108-88 win Friday… David Lee had 19 points and 14 rebounds as the Knicks won three in a row for the first time since early November… Rudy Gay led Memphis with 20 points. High-scoring rookie O.J. Mayo was held to 12 points, more than seven below his average, on 4-for-14 shooting.
Murray scores 25 as Hawks win big over Bucks
The AP reports: Flip Murray scored a season-high 25 points, Josh Smith had 24 and the Hawks raced to their biggest victory of the season, 117-87 over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night. Mike Bibby dished out 15 assists for Atlanta, which shot 56 percent from the field while winning its third in a row… Bibby had 12 points and easily eclipsed his previous season high of 12 assists, even though he barely played in the final period… Charlie Villanueva led the Bucks with 27 points, but it was a mere afterthought in Milwaukee’s most-lopsided defeat of the season. Bucks center Andrew Bogut missed his fifth straight game with back spasms, and the Hawks sure took advantage of his absence on the inside.
Diaw dominates ex-team, Bobcats crush Suns 98-76
The AP reports: How far the Bobcats have come since then was on display Friday night, as Boris Diaw dominated his former team with 26 points and 11 rebounds in Charlotte’s 98-76 rout of the slumping Phoenix Suns… Last month’s deal that brought Diaw and Raja Bell from Phoenix for Jason Richardson has invigorated the Bobcats, who also got 28 points from Gerald Wallace… Shaquille O’Neal had 20 points for the Suns, who had been 8-0 against Charlotte and had never failed to score fewer than 110 points in those games… Things got so bad Steve Nash, who was hampered by a sore back, missed a free throw for the first time in a month, ending his streak of 54 straight. He finished with four points, five assists and six turnovers… Amare Stoudemire, voted an All-Star starter this week, was held to 12 points on 5-for-14 shooting.
Mavericks rout Pistons 112-91
The AP reports: The Dallas Mavericks bounced back from a humiliating loss in a big way. Dirk Nowitzki scored 26 points, Josh Howard added 22 and Dallas routed the Detroit Pistons 112-91 on Friday night, two nights after a 34-point loss in Milwaukee… Brandon Bass added a season-high 18 points, and Jason Kidd had 11 points and 10 assists for Dallas, which lost 133-99 to the Bucks… Richard Hamilton, coming off the bench for just the second time in his Detroit career, led the Pistons with 17 points, and Tayshaun Prince added 12— 10 from the free-throw line. Allen Iverson finished with 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting.
Granger leads Pacers past Rockets
The AP reports: Yao Ming, the Houston Rockets’ 7-foot-6 center, left Friday night’s game because of a sore right knee and did not play after halftime. The Pacers made 26 free throws in the second half of their 107-102 victory… Houston already was missing Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest because of injuries. Artest missed his 13th game of the season because a bone bruise in his right ankle. McGrady sat out his 16th game with a sore left knee. Luis Scola, who scored a career-high 25 points for the Rockets, said the injuries weren’t an excuse for failing to play better in the second half… Indiana led 50-40 at halftime before holding the Rockets at bay with the free throws. Danny Granger scored 12 of his 25 points from the line, and T.J. Ford scored 13 of his 21 points on free throws. Troy Murphy had 14 points and 16 rebounds for the Pacers, who snapped a two-game losing skid. Carl Landry and Rafer Alston each scored 17 points for the Rockets, who had won three straight.
Jazz owner has drastic leg surgery
Larry H. Miller had surgery early this morning to remove his lower legs to six inches below the knee. The operation went well and he is recovering in the hospital. The surgery is a result of complications due to type 2 diabetes.
“Larry is doing well and is expected to continue to recover in the coming weeks and months,” said Greg Miller, CEO of the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies.
Currently, Larry is not available for media interviews. The Miller family greatly appreciates the support they are receiving from the community, but have no further details to share at this time.