The AP reports: The Indiana Pacers picked up a rare road victory and gained ground on the Milwaukee Bucks in the race for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Jarrett Jack scored 26 points and Troy Murphy had 23 points, 10 rebounds and six assists to lead the Pacers to a 117-109 victory Tuesday night against the Sacramento Kings… Marquis Daniels scored 18 points and T.J. Ford had 11 points and nine assists for the Pacers, who meet Portland on Wednesday and finish the three-game road trip Saturday against the Clippers. Kevin Martin scored 21 points for the Kings, who have dropped two straight and five of six. Rashad McCants scored 20 points and Spencer Hawes tied his career-high with 19 points. Jason Thompson scored 13 points and Bobby Jackson had 12.
Landry scores 22, Rockets beat Raptors 107-97
The AP reports: Carl Landry matched a career high with 22 points, Luis Scola added 20 points and 16 rebounds and the Rockets extended their home-court winning streak to 10 games with a 107-97 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night. Yao Ming added 20 points and 11 rebounds, but struggled at times against Toronto big men Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani. That created opportunities for Landry and Scola, two energetic forwards who combined for 22 points and 11 rebounds in the second half to help Houston pull away… Bosh and Bargnani scored 25 points apiece and Jose Calderon matched a career high with 16 assists for the Raptors, who’ve lost seven of their last eight road games.
Brook Lopez shines, Nets beat Bucks 99-95
The AP reports: Vince Carter kept shooting. When it came down to the end, he deferred. Jarvis Hayes hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer off a pass from Carter with 18 seconds left and rookie Brook Lopez scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lift the New Jersey Nets to a 99-95 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night. With the Nets needing wins, the bench provided a bigger-than-expected boost after Carter and Devin Harris struggled, going a combined 8-of-34 from the field. But both provided offense down the stretch… “They caught fire. That’s what great teams do,” said Ramon Sessions, who had 19 points for the Bucks.
Big Jackson game, Warriors beat Wolves 118-94
The AP reports: Stephen Jackson had 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists and Golden State led by 31 points in the first half of a 118-94 victory over the Timberwolves. Kevin Love had 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who lost for the seventh time in a row and 15th time in their last 17 games… Corey Maggette added 16 points and Andris Biedrins had 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Warriors, who snapped a three-game losing streak… The Timberwolves dropped to 1-9 without star center Al Jefferson, who is out for the season with a torn ACL.
Pistons surge past Billups & Anthony-less Nuggets
The AP reports: It was a win-win night at the Palace. Chauncey Billups got the warm welcome he deserved and the Detroit Pistons won a game they needed. Billups scored a season-high 34 points in his return to suburban Detroit, but the Pistons came away with the 100-95 victory Tuesday night against the Carmelo Anthony-less Denver Nuggets… Tayshaun Prince scored 23 points for the Pistons and four of his teammates scored at least 16, attacking with a balanced offense perhaps not coincidentally because Iverson missed his third straight game with a back injury… Nene scored 20 and J.R. Smith had 16 points for the Nuggets.
Balanced Bobcats win 4th straight, 96-80 vs. Bulls
The AP reports: Raja Bell had trouble lifting his right arm, yet started. Gerald Wallace twice got hit near the rib he fractured earlier this season and stayed in the game. Raymond Felton and Emeka Okafor played despite tender ankles. All four Bobcats reached double figures Tuesday night, and Charlotte proved too tough for the undermanned Chicago Bulls in a 96-80 victory they hope continues an improbable journey to the playoffs. Bell scored all 18 of his points in the first half before turning into a decoy when his injured biceps proved too painful to shoot, while Felton had 18 points and nine assists in Charlotte’s season-high fourth straight win… While the Bobcats played through the pain, the Bulls were without forwards Luol Deng (leg) and Tim Thomas (knee). Chicago fell behind early and never recovered. Tyrus Thomas had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the disjointed Bulls, who shot 39 percent and committed 18 turnovers.
Magic win big-man battle, top Suns 111-99
The AP reports: Dwight Howard made Shaquille O’Neal run. He made him fall. Then he got the ultimate vindication: he made him flop. Howard had 21 points and eight rebounds in a bruising battle with O’Neal, and the Orlando Magic beat the Phoenix Suns 111-99 on Tuesday night… Rashard Lewis had 29 points and Hedo Turkoglu scored 22 for the Magic, who overcame a season-high 24 turnovers. O’Neal finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds, outmuscling his first NBA team for most of the night before he lost his cool late, again drawing boos by the Orlando crowd… Jason Richardson had 27 points, and Steve Nash added 20 points for Phoenix after missing the last three games with a sprained right ankle.
Chris Mihm has right ankle surgery
Memphis Grizzlies center Chris Mihm underwent successful right ankle surgery, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today. There is no timetable for his return.
Mihm, a 7-0, 265-pound center, was acquired on Feb. 18 by the Grizzlies along with cash considerations from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for a 2013 protected second round draft pick. The former University of Texas standout did not make an appearance with the Grizzlies after the trade.
The seventh overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, Mihm averaged 2.0 points and 1.9 rebounds in 5.8 minutes in 18 games with Los Angeles this season. The eight-year NBA veteran holds career averages of 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.02 blocks in 20.1 minutes in 436 career games (236 starts) with the Lakers, the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
InsideHoops.com editor says: Eventually, Mihm and the very concept of surgery will unite, becoming one entity. In the future, “I had Mihm” and “I had surgery” will mean the same thing. Mihm will become a magical being whose very touch, in the form of a handshake, will result in the other person having instant surgery. And with that, I need to go for a walk.
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Nuggets sign Jason Hart
The Denver Nuggets have signed G Jason Hart for the remainder of the season, team Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.
Hart, 6-3, 180, averaged 2.3 ppg and 1.5 apg in 28 games with the Los Angeles Clippers this season before being waived on Feb. 27.
In eight NBA seasons, Hart has compiled career averages of 4.9 ppg and 2.3 apg in 16.1 mpg in 325 games with Milwaukee, San Antonio, Charlotte, Sacramento, L.A. Clippers (two stints) and Utah.
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Michael Redd has left knee surgery
Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Redd had successful surgery this morning to repair the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee, General Manager John Hammond announced today.
The surgical procedure was performed by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Brian Cole, M.D., in Oak Park, IL.
Redd will begin rehabilitation immediately for a period of approximately six months. He is expected to make a full recovery and be available for the open of training camp for the 2009-10 season.
Redd injured his knee in the Bucks 106-104 win at Sacramento on January 24. In 33 games this season, Redd averaged a team-high 21.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.06 steals in 36.5 minutes. Milwaukee’s record was 17-16 in his 33 games, including 17-15 in the games he started.