The AP reports: Brandon Roy scored 33 points on 11-of-15 shooting to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 113-88 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night… Travis Outlaw scored 16 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and keyed the run that gave the Trail Blazers breathing room. Greg Oden went 7-of-7 from the floor and 2-of-4 from the line for 16 points and had six rebounds. Al Thornton scored 23 for Los Angeles, which lost for the 16th time in 18 games. Steve Novak added 21 points, and Fred Jones had 19 points and seven assists. Brian Skinner, back after missing two games with flulike symptoms, had eight points and 10 rebounds in the loss.
Thunder beat Nets 94-85
The AP reports: Kevin Durant scored nine of his 18 points in the decisive third quarter, and the Thunder enjoyed big advantages at the free throw line and on the boards to beat the New Jersey Nets 94-85 Monday night in front of just 5,000 fans. Russell Westbrook had 13 points and eight rebounds, and Jeff Green scored 13 for the Thunder. Oklahoma City took 38 free throws, 20 more than the Nets, and outrebounded the opponent for the eighth time in nine games… Rookie Brook Lopez, who had a career-high 31 points in the first meeting, scored 18 for the Nets. Carter, averaging 21.6 points per game, had just eight on 2-of-12 shooting. Devin Harris (21.8) scored 10 and was 4-of-17.
Jefferson’s double-double leads Wolves over Bucks
The AP reports: Al Jefferson had 23 points and 10 rebounds as he roamed the paint freely and Ryan Gomes added 22 points, lifting the Timberwolves over the short-handed Bucks 90-83. Minnesota improved to an NBA-best 10-2 in 2009 and Jefferson thwarted the Bucks when it counted in the fourth quarter with Milwaukee also missing center Andrew Bogut for the seventh straight game with back spasms… Richard Jefferson, who finished 3-of-15 from the field, hit a jumper, but Al Jefferson answered when he kicked out a pass to Gomes for a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired with 1:46 left… Milwaukee’s Ramon Sessions, who had 18 points replacing Redd, said Gomes’ shot was deflating.
CP3 rocks as Hornets defeat Sixers 101-86
The AP reports: Chris Paul had 27 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds and seven steals for his league-leading fifth triple-double of the season, and the New Orleans Hornets defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 101-86 on Monday night… New Orleans, badly outscored inside while missing center Tyson Chandler (ankle) and David West (back), made up for it with 14 3s as a team… James Posey and Rasual Butler had 13 points apiece, including three 3-pointers each for the Hornets. Thaddeus Young had 22 points and Andre Miller 19 for the Sixers, who lost for only the second time in their past 10 games. Andre Iguodala scored 17 points for Philadelphia, and Louis Williams added 11 points.
Heat turn up defense, stifle Hawks in 95-79 win
The AP reports: The NBA’s leading scorer, Wade finished with 35 points on 13-for-19 shooting and the Heat held the Hawks without a field goal for nearly 13 1/2 minutes during one first-half stretch, beating Atlanta 95-79 on Monday night… Daequan Cook scored 16 points and Chalmers added 12 points and six assists for Miami (24-19), which moved a season-best five games over .500. Udonis Haslem had a game-high 13 rebounds. Miami had a season-high 12 blocked shots and allowed the Hawks seven assists — the fewest by any Heat opponent this season. Joe Johnson scored 19 points for Atlanta. Marvin Williams added 17, Josh Smith had 14 points and 10 rebounds and Flip Murray finished with 14 points for the Hawks.
Knicks beat Rockets 104-98 as Chandler scores 18
The AP reports: Wilson Chandler was removed from the starting lineup after his recent struggles and responded with 18 points in a 104-98 win over the Houston Rockets on Monday night. Fellow reserve Nate Robinson continued his strong play to lead New York with 19 points… The Rockets were playing without center Yao Ming (sore right knee) for the second straight game. Yao went out just as Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest were returning from injuries of their own. Artest (right ankle) had 24 points in Sunday’s win at Detroit, but struggled to 4-of-19 shooting against the Knicks. McGrady (left knee) had 20 points with more then five minutes left in the game then missed his last five shots.
Back-to-back Shaq gets 29; Suns top Wizards 103-87
The AP reports: Shaquille O’Neal kissed Caron Butler on the head, got a technical for hanging on the rim and thumped Andray Blatche into a knee-buckling injury. He also scored 29 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked three shots… O’Neal and the Phoenix Suns wrapped up a six-game East Coast swing Monday night with a 103-87 win over the Washington Wizards, who suffered the indignity of falling behind the Oklahoma City Thunder to take sole possession of the NBA cellar… Amare Stoudemire added 22 points and 15 rebounds, Leandro Barbosa scored 23 points, and Steve Nash had 14 points and 15 assists for the Suns, whose 53-38 rebounding advantage helped overcome their 17 turnovers. Caron Butler scored 28 points, and Jamison had 27 points and 13 rebounds for the Wizards, but they didn’t get much help as Washington lost for the 10th time in 12 games. The rest of the team scored 32 points on 17-for-41 shooting.
Mavericks hiring Darrell Armstrong as assistant coach
The Dallas Mavericks are hiring Darrell Armstong as an assistant coach according to the following report — The Dallas Morning News (Eddie Sefko) reports: Armstrong is ready to embark on his coaching career and would join Carlisle’s staff in an assistant coach/developmental coach role.
Weather won`t stop Nets at Thunder game
The following statement is from Dan Mahoney, Oklahoma City Thunder Vice President of Corporate Communications regarding the Oklahoma City weather conditions:
“Tonight’s game between the Thunder and the New Jersey Nets will be played as scheduled at the Ford Center. The visiting team and the officials have arrived, so the game will be played.
“The Thunder urges fans to be safe, use extreme caution and allow extra driving time when coming to the game.”
Zach Marbury to Venezuela
The New York Times (David Waldstein) reports: Zach Marbury, who will turn 29 on Feb. 4, will dig out his passport later this week and fly to Venezuela after coming to terms on a one-season deal with Los Guaros De Lara in the gritty, physical Liga Profesional de Baloncesto, known as the L.P.B. It’s not the N.B.A. and it’s not even one of the more highly regarded leagues in the world. But it is professional basketball, and Zach Marbury, who like his brother is a point guard, says he is ready to do whatever it takes to participate again. “I just want to play,” Zach said Saturday in a telephone interview from Southern California, where he has been working out with his brother in preparation for his international career. “I feel I’m doing what I have to do to get to the N.B.A. “Do you think I want to go to Venezuela? No I don’t. But I have to because I believe it’s the path God has chosen for me, so I’m ready to accept and make the most of it.”