West scores 30, Hornets beat 76ers 98-91

The AP reports: David West scored 30 points with 10 rebounds to lead the Hornets to their season-high fifth straight win, 98-91 over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night… Chris Paul bounced back from a two-point first half to finish with 16 points and 12 assists. His 3-pointer with 70 seconds left made it 95-89 and the Sixers could not recover… Andre Iguodala scored a season-high 30 points and Andre Miller had 28 for Philadelphia… Rasual Butler, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds, hit the Hornets’ eighth 3 of the game and they were back ahead by double digits.

Lewis, Turkoglu shine, Magic beat 76ers 106-100

The AP reports: Even when All-Star Dwight Howard has a subpar game, the Orlando Magic can never be counted out. Not with their offensive arsenal. Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu scored 23 points each and the Magic tied a franchise record with 37 3-point tries in their 106-100 comeback win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night. Courtney Lee contributed 18 points, Howard added 12 and Rafer Alston had 11 for the Magic (43-16), who rebounded from a disappointing 93-85 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday. The Magic improved to 21-9 on the road, the third best record in the NBA… Andre Miller had 23 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, Andre Iguodala scored 22, Willie Green added 19 and Thaddeus Young had 18 for the Sixers, who fell back to .500 at 29-29.

Miller, 76ers hold off frisky Knicks 108-103

The AP reports: Andre Miller had 25 points and six assists to lead Philadelphia, which has won two in a row since ending a four-game losing streak. Andre Iguodala added 15 points for the Sixers and Samuel Dalembert had 14 rebounds… Thaddeus Young scored 23 points, but his block prevented the Knicks from getting within two points for the fourth time in the fourth quarter, a situation the Sixers desperately wanted to avoid in frenzied Madison Square Garden… Al Harrington added 23 points for New York and David Lee had 17 with 11 rebounds for his 22nd straight double-double and NBA-best 47th of the year.

Huge Iguodala game, 76ers beat Wizards 106-98

The AP reports: Andre Iguodala had 22 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds Wednesday night as the 76ers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 106-98 win over the Washington Wizards… Andre Miller scored 17 points, Louis Williams had 16 points, Willie Green chipped in 12, and Samuel Dalembert finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds as the 76ers improved to .500 on the season… Caron Butler scored 17, Jamison had 16, and Dominic McGuire picked up 14 points and matched his career-high with 14 rebounds for the Wizards, who were hurt by 21 turnovers, including nine in the third quarter.

Udonis Haslem still rocking cornrows

The Miami Herald (Michael Wallace) reports: With Allen Iverson’s recent decision to cut his hair and do away with braids after 12 years, Heat forward Udonis Haslem might have taken over as the NBA’s king of cornrows. Haslem has sported the look for the past eight years, which dates even before he entered the league in 2004. ”I might be the last man standing with them,” Haslem said Tuesday before the Heat faced Iverson’s Pistons. “If I ever do cut them, it won’t be during the season. It’ll be in the summer. I’d have to wait to see how my head is shaped. So if it’s messed up, I have all summer to grow it back.”

Harris half-court shot gives Nets win over 76ers

The AP reports: The New Jersey Nets needed something outrageous to beat the Philadelphia 76ers. Devin Harris provided it with a half-court heave to beat the buzzer that needed a long review before it counted. Harris hit an unbelievable lunging 47-footer at the horn and the Nets snapped a season-high five-game losing streak with a 98-96 victory over the slumping 76ers on Monday night… While Harris’ 22nd shot of the night will be remembered by Nets fans, it helped him atone for a bad final minute. He turned over the ball with 20 seconds to go and the Nets down by a point, and he committed the foul that sent Iguodala to the line in the waning seconds.

J-O’Neal shines, Heat beat 76ers 97-91

The AP reports: Dwyane Wade had 25 points and nine assists, Jermaine O’Neal and Jamario Moon combined to score 10 fourth-quarter points in their second game since arriving from Toronto, and the Heat improved their Eastern Conference postseason positioning by beating the Philadelphia 76ers 97-91 on Saturday… O’Neal had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Moon scored 12 for Miami… Andre Miller had 30 points—the most by a 76ers player since late last season—and nine rebounds, and Louis Williams scored 22 off the bench for Philadelphia, which is on its first three-game slide since December. Andre Iguodala scored 14 and Marreese Speights added 12 for Philadelphia, which was the lone NBA team not to have a 30-point individual scorer this season.

Larry Brown learns to chill

The Charlotte Observer (Rick Bonnell) reports: A kinder, gentler Larry Brown? Charlotte Bobcats guard Raja Bell sure thinks so. This is Bell’s second stint playing for Brown. Bell started his career with Brown and the Philadelphia 76ers from 2000 through 2002. “More mellow,” Bell said recently. “From the first couple of days (after Bell’s trade from Phoenix to Charlotte), I could see a different guy. When he needs to yell, he will. But in day-to-day demeanor, he’s a different guy.” Bell says Brown is no less an authority figure. But he’s more collaborative, less strident, less prone to overreact and wear out players with constant criticism.

Superstar needed to win title, says Andre Miller

The Philadelphia Inquirer (Kate Fagan) reports: Andre Miller conceded that a team without a superstar probably cannot win a championship in the NBA. “Realistically, probably not,” Miller said. “That’s how the league has been for a long time.” Miller said that while the Sixers do not appear to have any superstars, Elton Brand was brought in to change that and Andre Iguodala is on the verge. “Iguodala is getting to that level,” Miller said. “But he doesn’t get the respect like the other guys.”

Melo 26 points, Nuggets beat 76ers 101-89

The AP reports: Chauncey Billups took his coach up on the challenge and took over for the Nuggets. Billups scored 17 of his 22 points in the third quarter and rallied Denver back from a 16-point deficit to lead the Nuggets to their third straight win, 101-89 over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night… Carmelo Anthony had 26 points and 14 rebounds, and Nene scored 17 for the Northwest Division leaders. Denver looked sluggish in the first half and its poor shooting seemed indicative of a team coming off a lengthy All-Star break… Andre Miller gave him a good push with 17 points through the first 2-plus quarters, but strained his right calf with about 7 1/2 minutes left in the third.