The AP reports: LeBron James scored 26 points, including the winning free throw with 1.6 seconds left, and the Cleveland Cavaliers won for the seventh time in eight games, 88-87 over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night… Joe Johnson led the Hawks with 21 points… Mo Williams had 20 points for the Cleveland, while Zydrunas Ilgauskas had a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. The Hawks had five players in double figures, including Murray and Marvin Williams with 14 apiece.
Category: Games
Basketball games blog
Jack, Murphy shine, Pacers beat Nuggets 100-94
The AP reports: The Indiana Pacers again have proven they can beat any team in the league on their home court. Jarrett Jack had 28 points and eight assists, Troy Murphy had 22 points and 18 rebounds and the Pacers beat the Denver Nuggets 100-94 on Sunday night… Chauncey Billups led the Nuggets with 27 points and seven assists. Carmelo Anthony scored 20 points, but was 8-for-24 from the field, and Nene added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Rockets overpower smaller Timberwolves 105-94
The AP reports: Without “Big Al” in the middle of their lineup, the Minnesota Timberwolves simply are not measuring up these days, especially when Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets come to town. One night after blowing a 17-point lead in the final six minutes, Yao towered over the Timberwolves with 17 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks in Houston’s 105-94 victory over Minnesota on Sunday… Ron Artest scored 23 points and Aaron Brooks had 22 points and a career-high 10 assists for the Rockets, who had lost four in a row, and five of their last six, on the road… Foye scored 24 points and Craig Smith had 20 for the Timberwolves, who lost their sixth game in a row and fell to 1-8 since star center Al Jefferson went down for the season with a torn ACL.
West scores 32, Hornets beat Nets 99-96
The AP reports: The quick hands of Chris Paul helped the New Orleans Hornets steal a victory from the New Jersey Nets. David West scored 32 points and Paul made two key steals in the final minute in the Hornets’ 99-96 win Sunday night… Rasual Butler had 22 points for the Hornets, who extended their winning streak to four. Offensively, Paul finished with 14 points and nine assists. Harris and Vince Carter each had 26 to pace the Nets, winners of their two previous games… Harris also had 14 assists while Jarvis Hayes added 13 points.
Kobe scores 49 but Suns beat Lakers 118-111
The AP reports: Shaquille O’Neal scored 33 points and Phoenix overcame Bryant’s 49-point performance to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 118-111 on Sunday. Matt Barnes added 26 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists as the Suns, without Steve Nash for the third straight game because of a sprained right ankle, defeated the Lakers for the first time in four tries this season. Pau Gasol added 30 for Los Angeles, loser of two in a row for just the third time this season… Leandro Barbosa added 22 points and Grant Hill 17 for the Suns, who improved to 6-2 since Alvin Gentry replaced the fired Terry Porter and returned the team to Mike D’Antoni’s fast-paced style. It was the Gentry-led Suns’ first win, though, over a team with a winning record.
Pistons beat Celtics 105-95 in East final rematch
The AP reports: The Detroit Pistons are back to their old mainstays and back to their old, winning ways. Richard Hamilton had 25 points, Tayshaun Prince scored 15 and each hit a 3-pointer in the final 80 seconds to help the Pistons beat the Celtics 105-95 on Sunday. Hamilton also had nine assists in his second straight start since Allen Iverson returned to Detroit because of a stiff back. “You can tell they’re playing the system they played before Iverson got there,” said Celtics forward Paul Pierce, who scored 26… Glen “Big Baby” Davis, starting in place of the injured Kevin Garnett, scored 18 and Pierce played all but 18 seconds as Boston lost to an Eastern Conference opponent at home for the first time this season.
Okafor, Bell lead Bobcats over Clippers 100-95
The AP reports: The Charlotte Bobcats lost an inordinate amount of close games early in the season. They just hope it won’t come back to haunt them, now that they’re within striking distance of the franchise’s first playoff berth. Emeka Okafor had 28 points and nine rebounds, Raja Bell scored nine of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, and Charlotte beat the Los Angeles Clippers 100-95 on Saturday night for their third straight victory… Okafor made 11 of 17 shots, while Diaw added 15 points. Zach Randolph had 33 points and nine rebounds for Los Angeles, coming off a 98-86 loss at Sacramento that followed Wednesday’s stunning 93-91 upset of the NBA champion Boston Celtics.
Brewer scores 26, Jazz beat Kings 102-89
The AP reports: Ronnie Brewer scored a career-high 26 points and Utah increased its winning streak to seven straight with a 102-89 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night, hours after Jazz owner Larry Miller’s funeral in the same building. Mehmet Okur also scored 26 and Deron Williams added 16 points and 11 assists for the Jazz, who went 10-1 in February. The day started somberly for the Jazz with the funeral for Miller, who died eight days before of complications from diabetes, but ended with another win—a fitting send-off for their longtime owner. Kevin Martin had 19 points to lead the Kings, who haven’t won back-to-back games since November. Rashad McCants had 17 points and Bobby Jackson scored 14 for Sacramento.
Rose 16 in 4th, Bulls beat Rockets 105-102
The AP reports: Derrick Rose scored 16 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, and the Chicago Bulls rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat the Houston Rockets 105-102 on Saturday night. Trailing 99-82 with just under six minutes left, the Bulls outscored the Rockets 23-3 the rest of the way to pull out a dramatic win in their first home game since the deaths of franchise icons Norm Van Lier and Johnny “Red” Kerr… Artest, who scored a season-best 32 points, argued vehemently for a foul and had to be escorted away by Dikembe Mutombo… Yao Ming added 17 points, Luis Scola scored 16 while grabbing 11 rebounds, but the Rockets let what looked like their first road win in more than a month slip away.
Bucks shoot well, beat Wizards 109-93
The AP reports: Charlie Villanueva scored 25 points and Richard Jefferson added 22 to lift the Milwaukee Bucks to an easy 109-93 victory over the Washington Wizards on Saturday night. Milwaukee never trailed, opened up a double-digit lead in the opening minutes and was never seriously threatened to win its fourth straight over Washington and avoid losing three in a row for the first time since early December… Reserve Dan Gadzuric had 10 points and 11 rebounds and Ramon Sessions added 12 points and 10 assists. The Bucks also got 13 points from rookie Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and 12 from Charlie Bell… Washington would mount no such challenge despite getting 21 points and 14 rebounds from Antawn Jamison. Caron Butler scored 19 and Nick Young added 13 for the Wizards, who had an inspired 113-90 victory over Chicago on Friday night.