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Guard Jason Williams retires from NBA

Memphis Grizzlies guard Jason Williams announced his retirement from the NBA today, ending his 12-year pro career.

The 6-1, 190-pound guard leaves the NBA with career averages of 10.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists in 788 games (667 starts) over 12 years (1998-08, 2009-11) with the Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat and Orlando Magic.

A member of the inaugural Memphis Grizzlies in 2001, Williams retires as the franchise’s all-time assists leader (2,069) and ranks in the top 10 in team annals in assists per game (7.0, 2nd), three-pointers made (500, 2nd), three-pointers attempted (1,543, 2nd), steals (372, 5th), free throw percentage (.817, 5th) and points (3,400, 10th).

The 35-year old averaged 2.0 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 10.9 minutes in 27 games this season with the Magic and Grizzlies, who signed him as a free agent on Feb. 7. The Belle, W.Va. native missed the final 17 games of the regular season due to low back soreness in what was his second stint in Memphis.

Williams won the 2006 NBA Championship with Miami, starting all 23 playoff games and averaging 9.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists to help the Heat capture the franchise’s first title.

Selected by Sacramento with the seventh overall pick of the 1998 NBA Draft, “J-Will” brought an exciting style and unique flare to the league before becoming one of the NBA’s most steady floor generals, regularly finishing among the league leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio.

Durant scores 41, Thunder beat Nuggets 107-103 in Game 1

The AP reports:

Kevin Durant scored 41 points, Russell Westbrook added 31 and Perkins provided the go-ahead basket on a controversial tip-in as the Thunder pulled out a 107-103 win against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

Westbrook’s jumper from the right side caromed off the rim and Perkins was credited for the tip-in with 1:06 remaining to put Oklahoma City up 102-101. Several Nuggets looked for it to be waved off as basket interference, and coach George Karl insisted after the game: “Obviously it was goaltending.” …

Nene had 22 points and eight rebounds to lead Denver, which used a well-rounded effort after dealing away its only All-Star, Carmelo Anthony, at the trade deadline…

Gallinari scored 18 points, Felton had 12 and Denver had eight players score at least eight points.

Eric Maynor chipped in 12 points for Oklahoma City, which had no one else score more than five with Durant and Westbrook leading the way.

Ray Allen scores 24, Celtics edge Knicks 87-85 in Game 1

The AP reports:

Ray Allen hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 12 seconds left off a pass from Paul Pierce and Anthony misfired on his long try at the other end, giving the Celtics an 87-85 comeback victory over the Knicks in their playoff opener on Sunday night…

Allen led the Celtics with 24 points and Pierce added 18 to go along with solid defense on Anthony. Kevin Garnett had 15 points and 13 rebounds, and clamped down on Amare Stoudemire down the stretch.

Stoudemire had 28 points and 11 rebounds for New York, and Anthony finished with 15…

New York may have lost more than a game. Point guard Chauncey Billups left with 51 seconds remaining, and doctors told him the injury was a strained left knee or thigh muscle…

Boston trailed 51-39 at halftime but rallied to take a 66-64 lead early in the fourth. Stoudemire then scored 12 of the Knicks’ next 18 points to power them to an 82-78 lead with 2:46 remaining.

Chris Paul dominates, Hornets beat Lakers 109-100 in Game 1

The AP reports:

Chris Paul had 33 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds, flawlessly leading the Hornets down the stretch of a 109-100 victory Sunday.

Carl Landry scored 17 points and Jarrett Jack added 15 for the seventh-seeded Hornets, who overcame Los Angeles’ major size advantage with cagey defense and a disciplined offensive approach that led to just three turnovers, tying an NBA playoff record…

Kobe Bryant scored 34 points for the Lakers, who opened the postseason with the same halfhearted effort that comprised much of their regular season after three straight exhausting trips to the NBA finals.

Los Angeles’ 7-foot starters, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, were widely expected to be an awful matchup for smallish New Orleans, but New Orleans rookie coach Monty Williams concocted an impressive game plan to minimize the big men’s impact…

Ron Artest had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who swept the four-game regular-season series with New Orleans. They had won their last six playoff series openers since Houston beat them in the Western Conference semifinals in 2009 on Los Angeles’ way to Bryant’s fourth championship.

Grizzlies stun No. 1 Spurs for first playoff win

The AP reports:

The Memphis Grizzlies own the first upset of the NBA playoffs, and they made history in the process.

Zach Randolph had 25 points and 14 rebounds, and Shane Battier hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 23.9 seconds left, and the eighth-seeded Grizzlies won the first playoff game in franchise history, 101-98 over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday…

Tony Parker led the Spurs with 20 points, but they sorely missed All-Star Manu Ginobili, who continued to rest his sprained right elbow. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Ginobili begged to play, and it’s safe bet the All-Star won’t have to convince Popovich for Game 2 on Wednesday…

Gasol had 24 points and nine rebounds. Conley scored 15 points and had 10 assists, and O.J. Mayo had 13 points off the bench.

Tim Duncan had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs, who lost their sixth straight playoff series opener.

Coach Scott Skiles says Bucks lacked leadership this season

Tom Enlund of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports:

By now, we all now that the Bucks were a solid defensive team this season but one that was offensively challenged.

And, we’re well aware of the rash of injuries that hampered the team all season.

But it’s also the intangibles that contribute greatly to the success or failure of a team. Things like having a strong leadership presence among the players and a cohesive team chemistry. Those were two key areas in which the Bucks came up short this season.

“It’s fair to say we did not have good leadership on our team this year,” said coach Scott Skiles. “But that’s something you can’t manufacture. You can’t just say that guy is a leader.

“I guarantee you’d be shocked in all pro sports, when you’re on the inside of something like this and you know the league and players and coaches, and somebody in the media will say, ‘That guy’s the leader of that team’. Often times, it’s so far from the truth that it’s ridiculous.

“You can’t manufacture that. It just naturally happens. Some people are just natural leaders. Other people can cultivate it some themselves. And then you need both. If you have good leadership on the team you also need guys that will follow the leader. Chemistry and all those things are very fragile things.”

David Stern says league is not ready to sell Hornets just yet

John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports:

Four months since assuming ownership of the New Orleans Hornets, the NBA continues to work toward resolving issues it hopes will make the franchise more attractive to a local buyer.

Although the league has not had discussions with any potential local owner or groups, NBA Commissioner David Stern said during his annual pre-playoff conference call Friday they continue to receive inquires from people expressing interest.

“When people call and express an interest,`we say ‘terrific, we’ll take you to a game, take you to a meal, and put you in the queue, so we can be ready to talk to you when we are ready for this asset to be sold,’ ’’ Stern said. “We’re not pursuing local ownership at this time.

“The direction that Jac Sperling and Hugh Weber are taking is to make this team desirable for local ownership, or ownership that intends on keeping it in New Orleans.’’

The NBA purchased the Hornets from George Shinn and minority owner Gary Chouest in December for an estimated $300 million.

Dirk scores 28, Mavs beat Blazers 89-81 in Game 1

The AP reports:

Dirk Nowitzki knows how to take over a game when the Dallas Mavericks need him the most, and Jason Kidd can still make some big shots.

Nowitzki scored 18 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and the 38-year-old Kidd had a playoff career-best six 3-pointers among his 24 points as Dallas defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 89-81 Saturday night in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference series…

Nowitzki scored 12 consecutive points in the game-turning spurt in the closing minutes when Dallas tied the game and eventually went ahead to stay. In the opener of his 11th consecutive postseason appearance with the Mavs, the perennial All-Star made all 13 of his free throws—all in the fourth quarter…

LaMarcus Aldridge had 27 points for Portland and Andre Miller had 18.

Dwight Howard scores 46 but Hawks beat Magic in Game 1, 103-93

The AP reports:

Joe Johnson scored 25 points, Jamal Crawford finished with 23 and Atlanta beat Orlando 103-93 in Game 1 of their playoff series on Saturday, overcoming a monster night by Dwight Howard.

Atlanta was eliminated by Orlando in last year’s playoffs in the most lopsided four-game sweep in NBA history, but this one was much different. The Hawks led by as many as 18 points while running multiple bodies at Howard all night, and the rest of the Magic failed to step up…

Howard tied a career high with 46 points, to go along with 19 rebounds. Jameer Nelson had 27 points but no other Orlando player reached double figures.

The Hawks had five players with at least 13 points, earning their fourth straight victory against the Magic and erasing the sting of a six-game losing streak to close the regular season. Al Horford scored 16, Josh Smith had 15 points and eight rebounds and Kirk Hinrich added 13 points.

Bosh scores 25, Heat beat 76ers in Game 1, 97-89

The AP reports:

Chris Bosh had 25 points and 12 rebounds, LeBron James added 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Wade scored five of his 17 points in the final 1:34 as the Heat held off a huge Philadelphia comeback try and beat the 76ers 97-89 in the opener of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

“The only number that matters right now is 1-0,” Wade said. “That’s all it’s about.”

Game 2 is Monday night.

Thaddeus Young had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the 76ers, while Jrue Holiday added 19 and Elton Brand finished with 17. It was the second time in 22 days that Philadelphia blew a big second-quarter lead in Miami: On March 25, the 76ers led by 16, and on Saturday, the margin was 14…

The 76ers scored 12 straight points in the fourth quarter, closing to 88-87 — but never getting the lead back. Bosh made two free throws and Wade hit a tough bank shot to give Miami a five-point edge. And after Young scored Philadelphia’s final points with 1:24 left, Wade sealed it with a pair of foul shots 14 seconds later.