The AP reports: Dirk Nowitzki made the game-saving plays on both ends of the court for the Dallas Mavericks. That was the easy part for the star forward. Just don’t ask the frustrated Nowitzki to explain how the Mavericks even got into the position that his blocked shot and go-ahead jumper were needed in the final minute against the short-handed and hurting Los Angeles Clippers. “Terrible. We had a good lead and we let up,” Nowitzki said. “They got whatever they wanted offensively. We couldn’t get any stops.” Until Nowitzki, who had 34 points, blocked a shot and then scored with 37 seconds remaining in a 107-102 victory Tuesday night… Eric Gordon, who scored 32 points, had a turnover on the next possession when the ball was knocked from his hands by Jason Kidd—though the rookie and his coach both thought there was a foul on the play.
Durant, Green lift Thunder to rare win over Knicks
The AP reports: Wins have been rare this season for the Thunder, so they wanted to celebrate after holding off the New York Knicks 107-99 on Tuesday night—after nearly blowing a 23-point, second-half lead. “We showed a lot of character,” said Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant, who had 27 points and 12 rebounds… Jeff Green added 27 points for Oklahoma City (5-30), which shot 52.7 percent from the field and won for the second time in three games… Al Harrington scored 21 points and Chris Duhon added 18 for the Knicks (13-20), who were coming off a victory over defending NBA champion Boston. New York, which beat the Thunder by 10 points on Nov. 14, shot 39.8 percent. Russell Westbrook added 22 points and nine assists for Oklahoma City. David Lee had 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Knicks, his 20th double-double in the last 22 games and his 23rd of the season.
Foye leads Timberwolves to third straight win
The AP reports: Randy Foye scored 23 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 40 seconds left, and the Timberwolves weathered a late rally to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 94-87 Tuesday night… Al Jefferson added 19 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks for Minnesota. Craig Smith had 15 points, Gomes 14 and Sebastian Telfair finished with 10 points and nine assists. Hakim Warrick scored 22 points, and Mayo added 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists for Memphis. Marc Gasol had 13 points and Rudy Gay 12 as Memphis shot 42 percent, including 2-of-13 outside the arc (15 percent).
Magic survive Butler’s 29, beat Wizards 89-80
The AP reports: The Orlando Magic got the win, but Caron Butler got too many points for Stan Van Gundy. Butler scored 29 points, 21 in the third quarter, turning a potential blowout into a close game. The Magic held on for an 89-80 victory Tuesday night… Hedo Turkoglu led Orlando with 22 points as the recently energized Wizards (7-26) failed in their bid to win for the fourth time in six games… Orlando center Dwight Howard had his league-leading 25th double-double, with 15 points and 16 rebounds. Jameer Nelson added 14 points for the 27-8 Magic, who rebounded from their loss at Toronto on Sunday. Antawn Jamison scored 13 for the Wizards, who fell to 0-3 against Orlando this season.
Bobcats surprise Celtics 114-106 in OT
The AP reports: After 19 straight wins and an NBA record 27-2 start, the Boston Celtics have lost that swagger. The lockdown defense and the poise are missing, too, as teams line up to get a shot at the defending champions. On Tuesday, it was the lowly Charlotte Bobcats, as Raymond Felton scored 25 points and rookie D.J. Augustin added 11 of his 20 in overtime in a stunning 114-106 win that sent the Celtics to their fifth loss in seven games… Paul Pierce scored 28 points, but had a key turnover in overtime. Ray Allen scored 20 points, but shot 7-for-20. Rajon Rondo committed nine turnovers. Kevin Garnett had 14 points and 13 rebounds, but shot only 7-of-18 and was called for traveling in Charlotte’s decisive spurt… Bobcats F Adam Morrison had 13 points in his best game in a month.
Back home, 76ers top Rockets, stop losing streak
The AP reports: Andre Iguodala tied his season high with 28 points and the reeling 76ers returned home from a dreadful road trip to beat the Houston Rockets 104-96 on Tuesday night… Iguodala nailed a 3-pointer in front of the Rockets bench late in the fourth to halt Houston’s 11-2 run that had sliced the gap to six. He sank a runner in the lane for a 98-92 lead that dashed Houston’s last-gasp at a comeback win. He shot 12-of-19 from the floor… Luis Scola led six Rockets in double figures with 18 points and grabbed 17 rebounds… Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, Von Wafer and Carl Landry all scored 14 points for the Rockets.
Nuggets recall Sonny Weems from D-League
The Denver Nuggets have recalled G/F Sonny Weems from the Colorado 14ers of the NBA Development League, team Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today.
Weems was assigned to the 14ers on Dec. 10 and averaged 18.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg and 2.3 apg in 10 appearances with Colorado.
Weems was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the second round (39th overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft before being traded to Denver for a 2009 second-round draft pick.
In five games for the Nuggets entry in the 2008 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas this summer, Weems averaged 9.2 ppg and 3.0 rpg in 22.2 mpg.
Carmelo Anthony out 3-4 weeks
After visiting with Denver-based hand specialist Dr. Carlton Clinkscales today, it was confirmed that Nuggets F Carmelo Anthony has a non-displaced 3rd metacarpal fracture on his right hand. Anthony’s hand will be placed in a splint and he will be sidelined for 3-4 weeks.
Anthony’s injury occurred at the 9:44 mark of the third quarter last night against Indiana.
Violent fans harrass an Israel-league team in Turkey
A EuroCup basketball game in Turkey between Israeli team Bnei Hasharon and a Turkish team was suspended after violent fans started making both verbal and physical threats towards the players on the Israeli team.
Two American players on the team are Shawn James, who attended Duquesne University and Sean Munson, who attended Wagner.
The Bnei team players had to flee under police protection to their locker room, and have had to stay there for a length of time for their own safety as uncivilized, violent fans took political anger and applied it towards innocent basketball players who are simply trying to engage in friendly sports competition.
The team from Turkey also left for their locker room, to avoid getting caught in any violence.
UPDATE: My source who is at the game tells me the players are now safe and back at their hotel.
UPDATE: Sean S. Munson exclusively to InsideHoops.com: “We are all good and safe. We are in the hotel right now with police out side protecting us… We were in the locker room for 3 hours waiting for the police escort to clear the street back to our hotel. They were throwing coins, pens, lighters, and one shoe during the warmups. We finished the introduction of players and shook the other team’s hands and then it got quiet in the gym for about a minute. Then the crowd rushed the court. The game was seconds from starting.”
–InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner
Jazz assign Kyrylo Fesenko to D-League
Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that the team has assigned second-year center Kyrylo Fesenko to the Utah Flash of the NBA Development League (D-League). He is expected to be in uniform tonight as the Flash hosts the Anaheim Arsenal at 7:15 p.m. as part of the D-League Showcase.
In 10 games this season (one start) the 7-1, 278 pound Fesenko has averages of 2.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.3 assists. Fesenko has been inactive 13 times this season and DNP-CD 12 games. His best outing of the season came at Houston on December 12 when he picked up his first career double-double, scoring 12 points with 11 rebounds in 34 minutes of action.
Originally selected by Philadelphia in the second round (38th overall selection) of the 2007 NBA Draft, the Jazz acquired Fesenko’s rights in a draft night deal that sent the draft rights to Herbert Hill (55th overall pick) and trade considerations to the 76ers.