The AP reports: Mike Bibby scored all of his 19 points in the first half, making four 3-pointers during an 18-4 run that broke open the game, and the unbeaten Hawks routed the Toronto Raptors 110-92 on Friday night. Bibby added 12 assists for Atlanta (4-0). The Hawks are off to their best start since 1997, when they won their first 11 games… Chris Bosh led Toronto (3-2) with 26 points. Jose Calderon, the Raptors’ second-leading scorer, had only six points on 2-of-10 shooting, but finished with 12 assists… Flip Murray added 16 points for Atlanta. Maurice Evans scored 15 and Marvin Williams 14. The points were season highs for Bibby, Murray, Evans and Williams.
Author: Inside Hoops
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Nov 7: Celtics 101, Bucks 89
The AP reports: For the second straight game, the defending NBA champions trailed early then won by a big margin, beating the Milwaukee Bucks 101-89 behind 18 points and 10 rebounds from Paul Pierce on Friday night… Richard Jefferson scored 20 points and Charlie Villanueva added 13 points and 12 rebounds for Milwaukee. Garnett had 16 points for Boston and Kendrick Perkins had seven blocks in 24 minutes. The last Celtic to get more in a game was Kevin McHale, who had eight against Sacramento on Jan. 9, 1987… Boston had 28 assists, 17 turnovers and 13 steals. Milwaukee finished with 22 turnovers and 17 assists.
Nov 7: Nets 103, Pistons 96
The AP reports: Allen Iverson’s first game with Detroit turned into the best night of Devin Harris’ career. Harris scored a career-high 38 points Friday night, outplaying Iverson in the second half and leading the New Jersey Nets to a 103-96 victory over the Pistons… Vince Carter and Josh Boone each scored 18 for New Jersey, which got its first home win after two losses. Boone also pulled down 14 rebounds. Iverson had 24 points and six assists after finally getting to suit up… Richard Hamilton scored 22 points, while Tayshaun Prince added 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Nov 7: Cavs 111, Pacers 107
The AP reports: LeBron James got plenty of help on offense, then sealed the victory with a spectacular play on defense. James scored 27 points, Anderson Varejao added 10 of his career-high 18 in the fourth quarter, and the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied to beat the Indiana Pacers 111-107 on Friday night… Mo Williams, a key offseason acquisition from Milwaukee, finished with 21 points for Cleveland, which trailed throughout most of the first three periods, then scored 40 points in the fourth quarter. Danny Granger tied his season high with 33 points for Indiana. He scored 21 in the first half… Pacers rookie center Roy Hibbert had 11 points and nine rebounds in 19 minutes, but fouled out with 9:08 to play. Marquis Daniels added 17.
Nov 7: Bobcats 92, Hornets 89
The AP reports: D.J. Augustin, the ninth pick in the draft and for now Felton’s backup, spearheaded Charlotte’s comeback Friday night, keying a fourth-quarter rally as the Bobcats spoiled Paul’s homecoming in a 92-89 victory over the New Orleans Hornets… Felton and Jason Richardson scored 20 points apiece for the Bobcats, who made 29 of 31 free throws and got a big contribution from the bench. Morrison was 3-of-5 on 3-pointers and scored nine points, getting feeds from Augustin… Chris Paul, who grew up 90 minutes away and bought 500 tickets for friends and family, recovered from a scoreless first half to have 20 points, 10 assists and six steals.
Nov 7: Knicks 114, Wizards 108
The AP reports: Jamal Crawford led new coach Mike D’Antoni’s never-take-a-breath attack with 23 points, and the Knicks spread the wealth with five players in double figures and 51 percent shooting Friday night in a 114-108 victory over the Wizards. “It’s fun,” said Chris Duhon, who had 12 assists and no turnovers… Zach Randolph added 22 points and 13 rebounds, Wilson Chandler and Nate Robinson each scored 17 points, and David Lee had 13 points for the Knicks, who also had 3-pointers from seven players—by halftime… Caron Butler scored 30 points, and Antawn Jamison had 24 points and 12 rebounds for the Wizards, whose 0-4 record prompts eerie flashbacks to last season’s 0-5 start.
Tony Parker could miss 2 weeks
The AP reports: Tony Parker sprained his left ankle and could be out two weeks, and the Miami Heat took advantage of his absence to beat the San Antonio Spurs 99-83 on Friday night… Parker sustained a moderate lateral ankle sprain and will probably be out more than two weeks, said Dr. Paul Saenz, a team physician. An MRI was expected to be performed Saturday.
Josh Smith out 2-4 weeks
The Atlanta Hawks will be without the services of forward Josh Smith for an estimated time of 2-4 weeks, after suffering a high ankle sprain in the second quarter of tonight’s game against Toronto. Smith suffered the injury attempting to block a shot and landed awkwardly.
Pregame from first Iverson Pistons game
Raw and unedited notes from New Jersey where the Nets are hosting the Detroit Pistons. It’s the first game for Allen Iverson since being traded to Detroit from the Denver Nuggets.
The Pistons pregame locker room scene was the usual for Detroit: loose and loudly filled with rap music (old Redman songs) and random entertaining remarks from Rasheed Wallace.
I asked Sheed, who was playing the music from a speaker-connected ipod, if he was playing Redman, who is from Jersey, because they were here, or if it was just a coincidence. It was the latter, Sheed informed me.
Iverson, in the corner, had about 17 reporters circling nearby. ‘Go ask him a question’ yelled Rasheed at us after we stood waiting in silence for a long time. ‘They know no questions before the game’ said Iverson. (Note: those two quotes are paraphrases.)
It is now tipoff. Iverson got a great cheer from Nets fans when introduced.
Talk to you after the game.
–Jeff
Warriors name Larry Riley assistant GM
The Golden State Warriors have named Larry Riley Assistant General Manager, it was announced today by President Robert Rowell. In a related move, Pete D’Alessandro has been relieved of his duties as Assistant General Manager.
Riley, 64, has spent the last two-plus seasons as an assistant coach on Don Nelson’s staff with the Warriors. He has accumulated over 20 years of NBA experience, including stops in Golden State, Dallas, Vancouver and Milwaukee. Overall, Riley has amassed 37 years of basketball experience in various coaching and administrative positions.
Riley, who will cease his duties on the coaching staff, will report directly to Mullin and assist in the overall day-to-day dealings in the Warriors’ Basketball Operations Department.