The AP reports: Yao Ming scored 20 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, outplaying Dwight Howard and leading the Houston Rockets to a 93-83 victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night. The 7-foot-6 Yao went 8-for-13 from the field and also blocked two shots. He played 38 minutes and got some help from 7-2 Dikembe Mutombo in handling Howard, the NBA’s leading rebounder and shot blocker… Ron Artest had 16 points and matched a season high with seven assists, and reserve Von Wafer scored 14 points for the Rockets, who stayed a half-game behind San Antonio in the race for the Southwest Division… Howard had 13 points and 10 rebounds, but went 3-for-9 from the free-throw line for the Magic, who slipped one game behind second-place Boston in the Eastern Conference standings.
Hinrich scores 25 as Bulls beat Knicks 110-103
The AP reports: Kirk Hinrich scored 25 points to lead five players in double figures as the Bulls beat the upset-minded New York Knicks 110-103 Tuesday night. Chicago has won five straight and 12 of 13 at home—26 of 38 overall—and has a half-game edge on idle Detroit for the seventh playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls also have a three-game lead on ninth-place Charlotte with four games left, including three at home… John Salmons scored 19 with six assists and six rebounds, Derrick Rose had 18 points and six assists, Tyrus Thomas had 18 points and four blocks, and Ben Gordon 17 points for the Bulls’ balanced scoring attack… Wilson Chandler scored 26 points to lead the Knicks, who were trying to win consecutive games for the first time since taking three in a row March 10-13. Al Harrington had 23 points, and David Lee added 17 points and 13 rebounds.
Blazers rally to beat Grizzlies 96-93
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.
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.
Bulls re-sign Linton Johnson for rest of season
The Chicago Bulls today signed forward Linton Johnson III for the remainder of the season. Johnson, a 6-8, 205-pound forward, has appeared in four games with the Bulls this season, and averaged 1.0 ppg in 5.3 mpg. He will be in uniform tonight when the Bulls host the New York Knicks at 7:30 p.m. at the United Center.
Johnson, a fifth-year pro, played in two games with the Charlotte Bobcats at the start of the 2008-09 campaign.
During the 2003-04 season, Johnson played in 41 games with Chicago and posted averages of 4.2 ppg and 4.5 rpg in 17.9 mpg. He has also enjoyed stints with the San Antonio Spurs (member of the 2005 NBA Championship team), New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets, Toronto Raptors, Phoenix Suns and Bobcats. For his career, he has appeared in 147 games (27 starts) and posted averages of 3.9 ppg and 3.3 rpg in 14.2 mpg. He owns career shooting averages of .417 from the field and .699 from the line.
Johnson, 28, was undrafted out of Tulane University.
Chicago’s roster now stands at 14.
Rasheed Wallace happy for UNC
The Detroit News (Chris McCosky) reports: As you might expect, Rasheed Wallace was in good spirits Tuesday after watching his North Carolina Tar Heels win the national championship Monday. “Once I found out (Michigan) State had beat UConn on Saturday — cakewalk for us,” he said. “I told everybody we’d be up by a minimum of 12 points by halftime and the only prediction I didn’t get right was I said we’d win by 25 points. We won by 17. I’ll take that. We are No. 1.”
Danilo Gallinari has back surgery
The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced that forward Danilo Gallinari had successful back surgery today. The laminotomy, performed by orthopedic spine specialist Dr. Patrick O’Leary at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, is a surgical procedure that shaves the bony plate surrounding a nerve root. Gallinari is expected to have a full recovery in 6-8 weeks.
In 28 games this season, the 6-10, 225-pound rookie averaged 6.1 points, 2.0 rebounds and 14.7 minutes. On Mar. 4 versus Atlanta, Gallinari recorded a career-high 17 points.