The AP reports: Greg Oden had four points and seven rebounds in his first pro game in his hometown, and the Trail Blazers beat the Indiana Pacers 95-85… Brandon Roy, who led the Trail Blazers with 20 points, said he has tried to encourage Oden… Travis Outlaw had 15 points, and Steve Blake added 14 points and eight assists for the Trail Blazers. Indiana’s Danny Granger had 35 points and 10 rebounds in his first start since leaving a game Feb. 18 against Charlotte because of a partially torn tendon in his right foot. Indiana coach Jim O’Brien had little to say about Granger’s performance.
Day: March 19, 2009
Pierce scores 36 as Celtics beat Wade-less Heat
The AP reports: The only All-Star healthy enough to play made the difference. Paul Pierce scored 36 points without Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to share the load, Dwyane Wade missed his first game of the season, and the Boston Celtics clinched the Atlantic Division title with a 112-108 overtime victory over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night… “We’re a team, the Miami Heat, with or without D-Wade,” said Michael Beasley, who led Miami with 21 points off the bench… Rajon Rondo had 27 for Boston. Miami, in its third overtime game in its last five, got 19 points from Mario Chalmers and 17 from Jermaine O’Neal.