The AP reports: Tayshaun Prince and Aaron Afflalo ensured Allen Iverson’s return to Denver was a success. Prince hit a running jumper with 20 seconds left, Afflalo hit six straight free throws after that, and the Detroit Pistons overcame 30 points by Chauncey Billups to beat the Nuggets 93-90 on Friday night in Allen Iverson’s return to the Mile High city. Iverson, making his first appearance in Denver since being traded to Detroit for Billups, Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb on Nov. 3, led the Pistons with 23 points—20 in the second half. He said his return to Denver was special… The Pistons shot 37 percent in the first half but stayed within range heading into the third quarter. Denver led by 13 after Billups hit three free throws early in the second half, but Detroit climbed back, getting within 59-56 with 3:14 left in the period.
Ridnour’s floater lifts Milwaukee over Nets
The AP reports: Luke Ridnour’s 5-foot floater with 0.5 seconds left lifted the Bucks to a 104-102 victory over the Nets on Friday night in the first meeting since Jefferson was dealt on draft day to Milwaukee for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons. Jefferson left Simmons alone to try to defend Vince Carter in the closing seconds and Simmons, who finished with 15 points by going 5-of-9 from 3-point range, hit his final one with 9 seconds left to tie it at 102… But Carter, who finished with 23 points, 14 assists and one rebound short of his fifth triple-double, hit a fadeaway jumper and set up a layup by Brook Lopez to make it 100-97… Jarvis Hayes scored 16 points for the Nets, while Milwaukee got 23 points from Charlie Villanueva, 11 from Ramon Sessions and 10 each from Ridnour, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Charlie Bell.
Gordon, Bulls beat Washington 98-86
The AP reports: Larry Hughes scored 12 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, Ben Gordon had 22 and the Bulls hung on for a 98-86 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday after watching a 21-point lead dwindle to seven in the fourth quarter… Hughes got booed when he entered the game late in the first quarter and seemed to hear it after every miss in the second and third, but his late flurry helped hold off the Wizards. He even heard a few cheers in the latter stages, but not many… Tyrus Thomas added 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Drew Gooden scored 16 while grabbing 11 rebounds—his second straight double-double after missing eight games with a sprained ankle… Jamison scored just 12 after pouring in a season-high 32 points in Wednesday’s six-point loss to Toronto, and Caron Butler finished with two while shooting 1-for-8.
Hornets defeat Clippers, 107-80
The AP reports: Rasual Butler scored a season-high 27 points, and the New Orleans Hornets handed the Los Angeles Clippers their 10th straight loss, 107-80 on Friday night. Relegated to the end of the bench for much of last season, Butler said he approached his summer workouts with renewed commitment. It began to show when coach Byron Scott inserted him into the starting lineup for then-injured Morris Peterson on Nov. 19… Tyson Chandler had 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets, dunking three times on alley-oop feeds from Chris Paul. James Posey had 16 points and Paul, who played only 29 minutes, had 10… Eric Gordon and Mardy Collins each scored 15 points for the Clippers, who have lost their last eight meetings with New Orleans. Marcus Camby had 13 points and 17 rebounds.
Cavaliers rock Celtics 98-83
The AP reports: LeBron James scored 38 points, harassed Paul Pierce all over the floor and strengthened his case to be the league’s MVP front-runner as the Cavaliers, playing with a bottled-up intensity reserved for the playoffs, improved to 19-0 at home by beating the staggering Boston Celtics 98-83 on Friday night. James scored 23 in the second half. He added seven rebounds, six assists, four steals, three blocks and made Pierce’s life miserable for 35 minutes… Kevin Garnett had 18 points and 15 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo added 13 assists for the Celtics, who shot only 41 percent from the floor and didn’t have their usual swagger… Anderson Varejao scored 14 points and Mo Williams 13 for Cleveland, which avenged a season-opening road loss to the Celtics despite playing without injured center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
McGrady’s 28 lifts Rockets past Thunder 98-96
The AP reports: After losing three straight games to start a long road trip, the Houston Rockets are grateful for any road win—even a narrow one over the team with the NBA’s worst record. The Rockets blew a 15-point second-half lead, but Tracy McGrady capped a 26-point outing with two critical free throws with 8.2 seconds left as they edged the Oklahoma City Thunder 98-96 on Friday night… Houston’s Yao Ming struggled much of the game, not making his first basket until early in the third quarter, missing a dunk later in that quarter and committing two offensive fouls in the fourth quarter. The 7-foot-6 center finished 3-of-10 from the field and scored 14 points—well below his 19.8-point average—but nine of those came in the final 4:22… Russell Westbrook scored 15 points for Oklahoma City.
76ers win third straight game, beat Bobcats
The AP reports: The Philadelphia 76ers are running again, their scoring is up and they’re ascending the Eastern Conference standings. Andre Miller had 22 points and six assists, Thaddeus Young scored 15 points and the Sixers won their third straight, 93-87 over the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday night. The Sixers have rapidly put a 1-5 trip behind them and won their third game this week to get out of last place in the Atlantic Division and into the Eastern Conference playoff race… Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams each scored 12 points and the Sixers had the fast-break edge, 20-4… Emeka Okafor had 24 points and 11 rebounds for the Bobcats.
Magic lead by 38 at half, rout Hawks 121-87
The AP reports: The Orlando Magic won their 11th straight home game and put on their most devastating offensive show of the season in routing the Atlanta Hawks 121-87 on Friday night… Orlando scored a season-high 41 points in the first quarter, then tied its season highs for points in a half (71) and game. The Magic also tied a season high with 16 3-pointers. Turkoglu hit all five of his attempts from long range and reserve J.J. Redick was 4-of-5 from behind the arc while scoring a season-high 15 points. Dwight Howard had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Jameer Nelson added 14 points and nine assists… The Hawks starters, by contrast, were only 15-of-48 from the field and only Joe Johnson reached double figures with 11. Acie Law scored 16 and fellow reserve Solomon Jones added 12 points and eight rebounds for Atlanta.
Bosh scores 32 to lift Raptors over Grizzlies
The AP reports: Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani handled the Memphis Grizzlies with relative ease. How they fare against the defending NBA champions will show whether the Toronto Raptors are back on track, or simply beating up bad teams. Bosh had 32 points and 10 rebounds, Bargnani added 21 points and the Raptors beat Grizzlies 103-82 on Friday night. Bosh shot 11-for-13 from the field and 10-for-12 from the line to help Toronto pull away in the fourth quarter and extend its home winning streak to a season-high three games… Rudy Gay scored 22 points for Memphis, which has lost 11 of 13. The Grizzlies have been held under 90 five times in the past six games… Hakim Warrick scored 18 and Kyle Lowry added 12 for Memphis, which has lost five straight on the road. The Grizzlies are 2-15 away from home.
Kings assign Donte Greene to D-League
The Sacramento Kings have assigned Donte Greene to the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League, Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie announced tonight.
Greene, a 6-10, 226-pound forward, who currently is in his rookie season with Sacramento, is averaging 4.5 points (.388 FGs, .316 3FGs, .842 FTs) and 1.8 rebounds per game through 24 contests, of which he has started four.
Drafted by Memphis as an undergraduate out of Syracuse in the first-round (28th overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft, Greene was traded to Houston before being acquired by the Kings via trade along with guard Bobby Jackson, a 2009 first-round draft selection and cash considerations in exchange for forward Ron Artest, rookie guard Sean Singletary and rookie forward Patrick Ewing, Jr.