The AP reports: With Manu Ginobili out through the playoffs, Drew Gooden filled in as a temporary member of San Antonio’s Big Three. Gooden scored 20 points for his highest total since joining the team last month, and the Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 99-89 Tuesday night in their first game since learning an ankle injury would sideline Ginobili for the rest of the season… Tim Duncan had 25 points and 15 rebounds while Tony Parker added 21 points and 10 assists, but it was an unexpected boost off the bench that helped end Oklahoma City’s inexplicable mastery of the Spurs in recent weeks… Kevin Durant led Oklahoma City with 24 points. Jeff Green added 16 points and Thabo Sefolosha had 13 points and nine rebounds.
Day: April 8, 2009
Butler, West rise, Hornets beat Heat, 93-87
The AP reports: New Orleans is going back to the playoffs, thanks in large part to dramatics from Rasual Butler and David West. Butler hit a game-tying 3-pointer with no time remaining in regulation, West made the go-ahead jumper with 8.8 seconds left in overtime, and the Hornets stunned the Miami Heat 93-87 on Tuesday night. Chris Paul finished with 26 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, and Peja Stojakovic added 24 points for the Hornets (48-29), who not only clinched their postseason berth but stayed thickly in the hunt for home-court advantage in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs… Dwyane Wade scored 32 points before getting ejected with 1.4 seconds remaining and Michael Beasley added 25 for Miami (41-37), which remained a half-game ahead of Philadelphia in the race for the No. 5 spot in the East postseason chase. The Heat fell three games behind Atlanta for the fourth seed in the East.
Wallace, Bobcats recover to beat 76ers 101-98
The AP reports: Gerald Wallace scored 29 points, including the go-ahead bucket when he picked off Raymond Felton’s woefully short shot in the final minute, and the Bobcats beat the Sixers 101-98 on Tuesday night to snap a three-game losing streak. Wallace later added two free throws, while Felton finished with a career-high 32 points as the Bobcats recovered after blowing a 20-point lead to improve their faint playoff hopes… Andre Iguodala and Willie Green missed tying 3-pointers in the closing seconds. Andre Miller had 23 points and Louis Williams scored 20 for Philadelphia, which remained a half-game behind fifth-place Miami as it tries to avoid a first-round matchup with Boston or Orlando.
Hawks use 3-pointers to beat Raptors 118-110
The AP reports: Josh Smith had 25 points and seven rebounds, and the Hawks used 11-for-22 shooting from 3-point range to beat the Toronto Raptors 118-110 on Tuesday night. The Hawks (44-34), trying to secure the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, also got 25 points from Joe Johnson and 17 from Maurice Evans. Mike Bibby added 13 points and 10 assists, while Al Horford chipped in 15 points and 12 rebounds… Chris Bosh had 21 points and 10 rebounds for his eighth consecutive double-double and 40th this season, but the Raptors lost their second in a row after winning six straight. Shawn Marion had 18 points and six rebounds, Jose Calderon added 16 points and 13 assists, and Andrea Bargnani scored 15 points for the Raptors.