The AP reports: In a game featuring the NBA’s top scoring rookies, it was a couple of Memphis veterans who carried the offensive load. Rudy Gay scored 29 points and Hakim Warrick added 21, both matching their season highs, as the Grizzlies won their third straight with a 103-96 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Friday night. Warrick’s 12 points in the fourth quarter kept the Bulls at bay, snapping Chicago’s two-game winning streak. The win marked the first time the Grizzlies won three straight under Marc Iavaroni, in his second season as their coach… Darko Milicic had a season-high 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Marc Gasol scored 11 for Memphis. Conley had nine points, a career-high 10 rebounds and seven assists. Ben Gordon led the Bulls with 26 points, while Luol Deng had 19. Drew Gooden had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Author: Inside Hoops
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Dec 12: Pistons 114, Pacers 110
The AP reports: The Detroit Pistons thought they were going to do it again. After leading the Indiana Pacers by 10 points late in the third quarter, the slumping Pistons found themselves down 103-101 in the final four minutes. But instead of losing after they led by double digits for the third time in four games and taking their fifth loss in six games overall, the Pistons rallied to beat Indiana 114-110. “It was like deja vu all over again,” said Allen Iverson, who finished with 17 points and 12 assists… The Pistons needed to overcome a career-high 42 points from Danny Granger, but gave the Pacers a fifth straight loss when Tayshaun Prince got a fingertip on T.J. Ford’s attempt at a game-tying jumper in the final seconds.
Dec 12: Raptors 101, Nets 79
The AP reports: The worst shooting performance of Vince Carter’s career allowed interim coach Jay Triano to see more positive signs from the Toronto Raptors. Chris Bosh scored 18 points and Toronto capitalized on Carter’s 0-for-13 night against his former team to beat the New Jersey Nets 101-79 on Friday, the Raptors’ second straight win under Triano… Jason Kapono, with four 3-pointers, and Joey Graham each had 16 points for the Raptors, who were outrebounded 50-37. Jose Calderon scored 13 as the Raptors improved to 2-3 under Triano, who replaced Sam Mitchell on Dec. 3. Yi Jianlian and Devin Harris led the Nets with 14 apiece, while Bobby Simmons had 12.
Dec 12: Hawks 87, Heat 73
The AP reports: The Miami Heat got off to their best start of the season, an 11-0 blitz that had Atlanta guard Mike Bibby slamming the ball down in disgust. From there, nearly everything went the Hawks’ way. Joe Johnson scored 21 points, Bibby and Josh Smith each added 15, and Atlanta shook off that woeful beginning to beat Miami with ease Friday night, 87-73… Dwyane Wade had 21 points and eight rebounds for Miami, which lost for the first time in five games. The Heat missed nine straight shots during one second-half lull, plus were outscored 23-4 in fast-break points and were a mere 4-for-10 from the foul line, compared with Atlanta’s 24-for-32.
Dec 12: Cavs 88, Sixers 72
The AP reports: LeBron James scored 28 points and Anderson Varejao added 17 in his first start this season as the Cavaliers, despite missing two key components, matched a club record with their 11th straight win, 88-72 over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night… Varejao filled in for Ilgauskas, who is expected to miss several games, and the frizzy-haired Brazilian and rookie Darnell Jackson, playing a season-high 24 minutes, did a nice job holding their own inside against Philadelphia’s big men. Varejao had seven rebounds, and Jackson, a second-round pick from Kansas added eight… Willie Green led the Sixers with 19 points, Andre Iguodala had 16 and Elton Brand 11 and 11 rebounds in his second game back after sitting two with a sore hamstring.
Euroleague Week 7 MVP is Rawle Marshall
Euroleague.net reports: Cibona’s excellent start to the season has been in part thanks to the great contributions of swingman Rawle Marshall and he now has some individual honors to go with his team’s success. Marshall not only helped Cibona register a critical win against Le Mans, but he also registered the best individual performance in Week 7 with a 34 index. Marshall led Cibona to a 89-70 home win with 21 points on 5-for-5 two-point and 2-for-3 three-point shooting. He added 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 8 fouls drawn to amass that 34 index. Meanwhile Kaya Peker helped Efes Pilsen rejoin the Top 16 race in Group D. Efes beat AJ Milano 74-67 behind 19 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals and 10 fouls drawn from Peker, good for a 31 index.
More needed from Andrew Bogut
The Racine Journal-Times (Gery Woelfel) reports (via blog): While Bogut has been a factor, if not a force, on the glass, his offensive game has become surprisingly stagnant. After averaging 14.3 points a game last season, Bogut is averaging 10.9. In the last five games, Bogut’s offensive production has dropped even more as he averaged just 9.2 points. That included a five-point effort against Charlotte and a six-point outing against the Los Angeles Lakers… Injuries are a part of it. Bogut’s been slowed by ankle and knee problems. He’s also had to cope with an excruciatingly painful migraine headache, one that temporarily rendered the left side of his body virtually numb. Injuries are a part of it. Bogut’s been slowed by ankle and knee problems. He’s also had to cope with an excruciatingly painful migraine headache, one that temporarily rendered the left side of his body virtually numb.
Joey Graham stepping up
Toronto Raptors small forward Joey Graham has emerged as a key contributor off the bench this season. In his last eight games Graham is shooting 55.7 percent for 12.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.
He has scored 10 or more points in five straight games.
The Raptors are in New Jersey tonight to face the Nets.
Magic re-sign Jeremy Richardson
The Orlando Magic have re-signed guard/forward Jeremy Richardson, General Manager Otis Smith announced today.
Richardson (6’7”, 195, 3/1/84, Delta State) has appeared in just one game this season for the Magic and did not score in two minutes. He also played in three preseason contests, averaging 4.0 ppg. in 8.0 minpg. Richardson was waived on December 6.
Orlando’s roster now stands at 15 players.
The Magic begin a five-game, eight-day road trip on Monday, December 8 @ L.A. Clippers. Orlando’s next home game is Thursday, December 18 vs. San Antonio. Game time is 8 pm ET.
Rockets adjusting to injury
The Houston Chronicle (Jonathan Feigen) reports: Tracy McGrady practiced. Yao Ming did not. Yao, battling a cold, will play. McGrady might. Brent Barry, who also practiced for the first time in weeks, probably will not play. Shane Battier will play, but it’s not clear how much. Ron Artest did not practice and will not play. Other than that, things are falling right into place… If McGrady returns and starts tonight against Golden State in Oakland, Calif., the Rockets likely will have their seventh starting lineup in 23 games. This season, Shane Battier has missed 15 games, McGrady seven and Yao one. Artest has played hurt, missed one game and will be out the next two. Barry has missed eight games. As much as the Rockets have missed the players who have been hurt, they have lost chances to build continuity. They had seemed increasingly in sync, with far better balance and ball movement, when they played the Warriors last Friday, scoring 131 points, their most since 1995. But that was with Artest going from dribbling too much and looking to carry the offense against Indiana and Denver, to leading the improved offensive flow. Then he went out and things bogged down again. That has been the pattern of the season with a continuing series of changes, adjustments and improvements, only leading to more changes.