The AP reports: As Chauncey Billups has done so many times before in a Detroit uniform, Rodney Stuckey did much of his damage when his team needed him most, scoring 12 of his career-high 27 points in the fourth quarter to lift the Pistons to a 94-90 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night… “I’ve always said he’s one of those guys, the bigger the game, the bigger the situation, the more responsibility he has and he wants,” said Pistons coach Flip Saunders, who gave Billups, Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton the night off to rest up for the playoffs. .. Al Jefferson had 26 points and seven rebounds, but only managed 12 shots while being hounded by double- and triple-teams all night. Foye scored 18 points, but was just 6-for-14 from the field, committed a costly turnover in the closing minutes and rushed an off-balance shot out of a timeout with 45 seconds to go to seal the loss.
Author: Inside Hoops
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Apr. 1: Bucks 119, Knicks 115
The AP reports: Bobby Simmons scored a season-high 24 points and Michael Redd added 36 in the Milwaukee Bucks’ 119-115 overtime win over the New York Knicks on Tuesday… Andrew Bogut, who missed the last two games because of a broken nose, chipped in with 24 points and 13 rebounds for Milwaukee… New York’s Quentin Richardson scored 22 points and Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford each added 19. The Knicks lost their fifth straight road game and are 2-15 in their last 17 games.
Apr. 1: Sixers 108, Nets 97
The AP reports: Lou Williams hit three consecutive baskets in the final 3:47, and the surprising 76ers posted their 20th win in 27 games with a 108-99 victory over the fading New Jersey Nets on Tuesday night… Andre Miller had 24 points, 11 assists and five rebounds, while Andre Iguodala added 17 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. Samuel Dalembert added 15 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks and finished off a 9-2 spurt that Williams ignited with seven straight points… “We have to think we have an opportunity regardless of how many games we have left to play,” said Vince Carter, who led the Nets with 29 points… Devin Harris added 22 points for New Jersey and Richard Jefferson had 14, but just one in the second half.
Apr. 1: Hornets 98, Magic 97
The AP reports: Peja Stojakovic scored six points in the final minute—a clutch 3-pointer and three free throws—to lift New Orleans past the Orlando Magic 98-97, giving the Hornets their franchise-record 24th road win… Chris Paul had 19 points and 12 assists for the Hornets, Morris Peterson scored 19 points and David West had 18 points and 11 rebounds… Hedo Turkoglu had 26 points, seven assists and five rebounds for Orlando. Rashard Lewis added 24 points and Dwight Howard had 17 points and 15 rebounds… Orlando point guard Jameer Nelson missed his second straight game with a bruised jaw, and forward Brian Cook was out after breaking a finger Monday in practice.
Bobcats owner says Jordan controls Sam Vincent’s fate
The AP reports: Charlotte Bobcats owner Bob Johnson believes first-year coach Sam Vincent is the right man for the job. But Johnson said Tuesday the final decision on whether Vincent will return next season rests with part-owner and basketball operations chief Michael Jordan. “The definitive answer will come from Michael, but my position is, I think Sam did a credible job,” Johnson said… Johnson said he believes Vincent has overcome early growing pains to do a “credible job.”
Sixers PG Andre Miller shooting limitations
Tonight in New Jersey the Nets host the 76ers, who come into the game with a 37-37 record.
The Sixers start Andre Miller and Willie Green at guard, Andre Iguodala and Reggie Evans at forward, and Samuel Dalembert at center. Off the bench, guard Lou Williams is sixth man.
Miller knows his shooting limitations. Check out these percentages: 49.6% field goals, but just 10.0% three-pointers. He only fires from outside when absolutely necessary. For the season Miller averages 17 points, 4 rebounds and 6.9 rebounds per game.
Bulls recall two from D-League
The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has recalled guard Shannon Brown and forward Cedric Simmons from the Iowa Energy of the D-League. The pair was assigned to the Iowa club on March 15.
In six games with the Energy, Brown (6-4, 211) averaged 25.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.3 apg and 2.00 spg in 35.0 mpg. He has appeared in four NBA games since the Bulls acquired him via trade with Cleveland on Feb. 21, and holds averages of 6.0 ppg and 1.0 rpg in 12.3 mpg in 19 appearances this season with Cleveland and Chicago.
Simmons (6-9, 235) also played in six games with the Energy and posted averages of 15.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 2.20 bpg in 29.3 mpg. He was also acquired by the Bulls in the Feb. 21 trade and has seen action in four games in Chicago. On the season, he has played in 11 games and averaged 0.5 ppg and 1.5 rpg in 7.1 mpg.
Both Brown and Simmons will be with the Bulls tonight when they host the Boston Celtics at the United Center.
Spurs sign Bobby Jones to 10-day contract
The San Antonio Spurs today announced they have signed forward Bobby Jones (#42) of the NBA Development League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce to a 10-day contract. Per club policy terms of the deal were not released.
Jones, a 6-7 forward, has played in 42 NBA games this season, averaging 4.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per game. Jones started the season with Denver (23 games: 10/31-1/7) before being seeing action with Memphis (nine games: 1/10-1/30), Houston (four games: 2/26-3/6) and Miami (six games: 3/12-3/22). His best outing of the season came as a member of the Grizzlies when he finished with career-highs in points (20), rebounds (13) and assists (seven) in a 124-100 victory over Seattle on 1/18. Last season Jones appeared in 44 games with the Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 2.5 points and 1.4 rebounds in 7.8 minutes per game.
Jones has played in five games with the Sioux Falls Skyforce in between NBA stints, averaging 12.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists.
Jones was originally drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 37th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. His rights were then traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a second round pick in the 2007 NBA Draft and cash considerations. Jones played four seasons at the University of Washington appearing in 125 career games (106 starts) and averaged 9.8 points and 4.9 rebounds. He earned Honorable Mention All-Pac-10 honors as a senior and finished as the 20th all-time leading scorer in Washington history with 1,226 points while also ranking fourth all-time with 134 career steals. S
Rockets sign Loren Woods to second 10-day contract
Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has signed center Loren Woods to a second 10-day contract. Woods has averaged 3.0 points in two games with the Rockets this season.
Woods (7-2, 260, Arizona) averaged 2.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in 208 prior NBA games (47 starts) with Minnesota, Miami and Toronto. Internationally, Woods won the 2006-07 Lithuanian National Championship with BC Zalgiris Kaunas and had been playing this season with Efes Pilsen Istanbul in Euroleague. Woods was named the 2007-08 Euroleague Week 11 MVP, pacing Efes Pilsen with 16 points and 18 rebounds in a 91-84 overtime win against Le Mans. His 18 boards (10 offensive) stood as the second highest total in Euroleague history.
Selected by the Timberwolves in the second round (46th overall) of the 2001 NBA Draft, Woods spent two seasons with Minnesota before signing as a free agent with the Heat in 2003-04. He was chosen by the Charlotte Bobcats in the NBA Expansion Draft on June 22, 2004, and later signed with the Raptors on Aug. 18, 2004. With Toronto in 2004-05, Woods averaged career bests of 3.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 0.87 blocks in 45 games. Woods also averaged 4.6 points and 5.9 rebounds in 30 games as a starter that season with the Raptors. In 2005-06, the former standout at Arizona ranked ninth in the NBA in rebounds per 48 minutes (16.3 rpg) and 16th in blocks per 48 minutes (3.41 bpg) with Toronto.
Woods signed on with the Sacramento Kings on Aug.15, 2006, but was waived prior to the regular season. He later joined the Austin Toros of the NBA D-League in 2006-07, averaging 11.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.00 blocks in 15 games with the Toros. He also participated in the 2007 Gillette D-League All-Star Game.
Mar. 31: Mavs 93, Clippers 86
The AP reports: Jason Kidd scored 27 points, Josh Howard got 12 of his 25 in the fourth quarter, and the Dallas Mavericks held off the banged-up but stubborn Los Angeles Clippers 93-86 Monday night to complete a sweep of the four-game season series… Jason Terry had 20 points for Dallas, playing its fourth game since reigning MVP Dirk Nowitzki went down with knee and ankle injuries… Forward Jerry Stackhouse, whose buzzer-beating 3-pointer gave the Mavs a 95-94 win over the Clippers the last time they played them at Staples Center on Jan. 12, missed his second game with strained right groin. Rookie Al Thornton scored 26 points for the Clippers, who trailed throughout. They shot 36.8 percent and committed 23 turnovers against a Dallas defense that came in forcing a league-low 12.3 turnovers per game. Leading scorer Corey Maggette scored 23 points and was just 3-for-15 from the field.