The AP reports: Brandon Roy keyed the rally, Travis Outlaw hit the go-ahead shot and the Portland Trail Blazers kept their fight alive for home court in the Western Conference playoffs. Outlaw banked in a 14-footer with 13 seconds left to complete Portland’s comeback, and the Trail Blazers beat the Memphis Grizzlies 96-93 on Tuesday night. Roy, who scored 13 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, stole the ball from Memphis guard Mike Conley with 8 seconds left, then hit the ensuing two free throws to preserve the win… Rudy Fernandez and LaMarcus Aldridge scored 15 apiece for the Trail Blazers. Outlaw finished with 11 points and Greg Oden scored 10… Mayo led Memphis with 31 points, hitting 13 of his 21 shots, going 5-of-7 outside the arc. Rudy Gay had 19 before fouling out on Outlaw’s go-ahead basket. Hakim Warrick added 13 points and Conley 12.
Category: Games
Basketball games blog
Spurs beat Thunder 99-89 in first game without Ginobili
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.
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.
Lakers edge Clippers for 61st win
The AP reports: Lamar Odom had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Kobe Bryant added 18 points and the Los Angeles Lakers edged the Clippers 88-85 Sunday night to remain a game behind Cleveland for the NBA’s best record. The Lakers’ 61st victory was listless against a team that trails them by 43 games in the Western Conference. But they did just enough to win their third in a row, improve to 33-5 at home and assert themselves as the dominant tenant at Staples Center… Eric Gordon scored 24 points, Zach Randolph added 18 points and 10 rebounds and Brian Skinner grabbed 13 rebounds for the Clippers, who’ve lost five in a row and 12 of their last 15. Trailing 81-62 in the fourth—their third 19-point deficit—the Clippers scored 16 in a row, including eight by Fred Jones, to close to 81-78 with 2 1/2 minutes remaining.
Warriors hang on for win over Kings with 7 players
The AP reports: Kelenna Azubuike had 30 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, and the Golden State Warriors hung on to beat the Sacramento Kings 105-100 on Sunday night with just seven healthy players in uniform. Jamal Crawford had 20 points and eight rebounds, while Anthony Morrow and C.J. Watson scored 18 points apiece for the Warriors in their third straight victory, including two wins in five days over their closest geographical rivals… Bobby Jackson had 17 points to lead seven players scoring in double figures for the NBA-worst Kings, who lost their fourth straight and 11th in 13 games. Beno Udrih scored 16 points and Jason Thompson added 14 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out for Sacramento, which also lost starting center Spencer Hawes late in the first half to double vision after he was poked in the eye.
Carter scores 15 as Nets crush Philadelphia 76ers
The AP reports: Vince Carter scored 15 points and the Nets kept their playoff hopes alive for a couple more days by handing the Philadelphia 76ers their worst loss of the season, 96-67 Sunday night… The Nets (32-45) were pushed to the brink of elimination while their game was being contested when the Detroit Pistons (37-40) beat the Charlotte Bobcats 104-97. New Jersey and Detroit each have five games left. New Jersey will miss the postseason for the second straight year if it loses one or the Pistons win one… Sixth man Lou Williams had 14 points to lead the Sixers, who looked drained a day after beating Detroit to clinch a second straight playoff berth… Andre Iguodala and Andre Miller combined for 12 points on 4-of-17 shooting.
Granger scores 24, Pacers beat Thunder 117-99
The AP reports: Danny Granger scored 24 points, Troy Murphy added 22 points and nine rebounds, and the Pacers kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a 117-99 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night… Roy Hibbert added 17 points, Jarrett Jack scored 14 and Brandon Rush had 13 points for the Pacers as all five starters reached double figures. T.J. Ford also had 12 points off the bench… Kevin Durant led Oklahoma City with 25 points and Nick Collison scored 15. Rookie D.J. White added 14 points in his NBA debut after missing the first five months of the season following jaw surgery.
D-Will hits 8-of-10, Jazz beat Hornets 108-94
The AP reports: Ronnie Brewer scored 23 points, and Utah earned a spot in the postseason while completing a convincing season sweep of the New Orleans Hornets with a 108-94 victory on Sunday night. “It’s a great way to start this road trip, give us a lot of confidence and realize that if we play like that every night, we can beat anybody,” said Jazz guard Deron Williams, who had 21 points and 11 assists… David West had 23 points and 12 rebounds for New Orleans, which could have clinched a playoff spot with a victory, but instead lost its second straight game. Chris Paul had 19 points and 12 assists, but also had four turnovers and was limited by foul trouble… Andrei Kirilenko, starting for Utah because C.J. Miles was out with a dislocated left index finger, scored 16 points.