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NBA Game Recaps of Monday, Feb. 8



Carter’s 48 points help Magic beat Hornets -- The AP reports: The high-flying layups. The fall-away jumpers. The step-back 3-pointers. Vinsanity was back. Vince Carter had a season-high 48 points, leading the Orlando Magic back from a 17-point second-half deficit to beat the New Orleans Hornets 123-117 on Monday night. After one of the most sensational games in his storied career, all Carter could do was shake his head and smile... Carter was 19 for 27 shooting and had 34 points in the second half with some of the most sizzling moves since he joined the Magic, who have won nine of their last 11 games. He added seven rebounds, two assists and a stockpile of highlights to his already illustrious career... Peja Stojakovic had 29 points, and Darren Collison and David West added 27 points apiece for the Hornets, who have lost four of five since Chris Paul went down with an injured left knee.

Lakers beat Spurs 101-89 without Bryant, Bynum -- The AP reports: No Kobe, still no problem for the Los Angeles Lakers. Pau Gasol had 21 points, 19 rebounds, eight assists and five blocked shots to lead five players in double figures, and Los Angeles beat the San Antonio Spurs 101-89 Monday night as Bryant missed his second consecutive game with a sore left ankle. Andrew Bynum sat out with a bruised right hip. In their absences, the Lakers used a collective effort to win in their final home game before this weekend’s All-Star break. Ron Artest added 18 points, Lamar Odom 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Jordan Farmar and Derek Fisher had 13 each... Manu Ginobili scored 21 points, Tony Parker 20, Tim Duncan had 16 points and 15 rebounds and Antonio McDyess 12 rebounds for the Spurs, who have lost four in a row to the Lakers at Staples Center.

Terry leads the Mavericks past Warriors, 127-117 -- The AP reports: Jason Terry scored a season-high 36 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer, and the Dallas Mavericks rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat the Golden State Warriors 127-117 on Monday night... Josh Howard and Drew Gooden also had season bests with 25 and 24 points respectively for the Mavericks. Jason Kidd added 17 points and 12 assists... Anthony Morrow scored a season-high 33 points and had 11 rebounds to lead the Warriors, who lost their season-worst ninth straight, including five at home. Monta Ellis scored 27 points before leaving the game with an apparent right knee injury in the final four minutes... Stephen Curry scored 25 points to go with nine assists.

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NBA Game Recaps of Sunday, Feb. 7



Bosh scores 36 points as Raptors top Kings 115-104 -- The AP reports: The Sacramento Kings picked a bad time to blink. Chris Bosh had 36 points and 11 rebounds, Andrea Bargnani scored 22 points and the Toronto Raptors rallied to beat the Kings 115-104 on Sunday afternoon, extending Sacramento’s losing streak to six games... Hedo Turkoglu and Antoine Wright each scored 16 points as Toronto topped 100 for the 16th consecutive game and won its seventh straight at home. Kevin Martin scored 24 points and Spencer Hawes had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Kings, who have won just three of their past 20 and are 3-22 on the road... Bosh made 14 of 18 field goal attempts and went 8 for 11 from the foul line as the Raptors won for the 13th time in 14 home games.

Magic use 19-0 burst in 3rd to top Celtics 96-89 -- The AP reports: The Orlando Magic needed less than 48 hours to go from a terrible third quarter to a terrific one. Vince Carter and Dwight Howard each scored nine points in that period to erase an 11-point halftime deficit, and the Magic went on to beat the Boston Celtics 96-89 on Sunday... “We were upset about the way we played in the first half,” said Howard, who had 16 points and 13 rebounds... Carter had a game-high 20 points and scored nine during a 19-0 rally that began after Rajon Rondo’s 3-pointer gave the Celtics a 60-51 lead with 7:17 left in the third quarter—Boston’s fourth and final field goal of the period... Rondo scored 17 points and Ray Allen added 14 for the Celtics.

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NBA Game Recaps of Saturday, Feb. 6

Collison leads Okafor, Hornets past Bobcats 104-99 -- The AP reports: Emeka Okafor returned here early Saturday morning, slept in his old bed, ate lunch at his favorite burrito joint and later greeted many old friends at the arena he used to call home. Okafor’s return to Charlotte rekindled memories, brought light applause and — with a big assist from rookie Darren Collison—ended with a much-needed win for the short-handed New Orleans Hornets. Collison scored a career-high 24 points filling in for Chris Paul, David West added 21 points, and Okafor turned in a signature solid performance in a 104-99 victory over the listless Bobcats on Saturday night.

Jerebko perfect from field as Pistons beat Nets -- The AP reports: The Detroit Pistons weren’t expecting much from Jonas Jerebko this season. After all, Jerebko was one of three small forwards the Pistons drafted—a position already held by iron-man Tayshaun Prince. However, Prince’s injuries and the struggles of fellow rookies Austin Daye and DaJuan Summers gave Jerebko a chance, and the NBA’s first Swedish player has taken advantage. He has played every position from point guard to power forward and is third on the team in minutes. Saturday, Jerebko scored 20 points on 9-for-9 shooting as the Pistons snapped a five-game home losing streak with a 99-92 victory over the New Jersey Nets.

James scores 47 in Cavs’ win over New York -- The AP reports: LeBron James scored 47 points, including 24 straight for Cleveland in the first half, and the Cavaliers held off the Knicks 113-106 for their 11th straight victory... James, who historically has saved some of his best performances for the Knicks, set a franchise record with 35 points in the first half. He finished one point shy of his season high while adding eight rebounds and eight assists. He needed just 5:29 to score 24 straight—16 in a row to end the first quarter and eight straight to start the second. He closed the first quarter with four 3-pointers in the final two minutes, including a pair from 32 feet in the final 37 seconds. He shot 8 of 11 for the quarter.

Jefferson helps Wolves beat Grizzlies 109-102 -- The AP reports: Al Jefferson has finally found himself, in this season of recovery and transition. It’s not a coincidence that the Minnesota Timberwolves have captured some confidence for once, too. Jefferson rallied the Timberwolves to their season-high fourth straight victory by scoring 16 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter of a 109-102 win against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night... Rudy Gay did his best to keep the Grizzlies in it with an array of pull-up jumpers, finishing with 27 points and eight rebounds. Zach Randolph had 14 points and 13 rebounds, but let the Wolves outhustle him for a handful of loose balls and rebounds down the stretch. The Grizzlies got only 16 points from their reserves, and Sessions and Kevin Love combined for 31 points off the bench by themselves.

Deng scores 25, Bulls beat Heat 95-91 -- The AP reports: Derrick Rose insisted he was feeling it after the fourth game in five nights, even if those strong bursts suggested otherwise. He looked fine. So did Luol Deng, and the Bulls appeared to be in a better place, too. Rose scored 24 to back Deng’s 25-point effort, and Chicago beat the Miami Heat 95-91 Saturday night to snap a three-game losing streak... Jermaine O’Neal tied season highs with 24 points and 16 rebounds, Dwyane Wade added 20 points, but the Heat fell for the seventh time in eight games.

Bogut scores 21 to help Bucks beat Pacers 93-81 -- The AP reports: One night after having to leave the game with a migraine headache, Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut was a pain for the Indiana Pacers. Bogut returned to the lineup and had 21 points and eight rebounds, helping the Bucks hold off the Indiana Pacers 93-81 for their fifth win in six games. Bogut said he still had a headache Saturday, but was able to play through it... T.J. Ford led the Pacers with a season-high 20 points and Danny Granger added 14. Ford played because the Pacers were without starting point guard Earl Watson, who missed his second straight game due a death in his family.

Young, Green help rally Sixers past Rockets 102-95 -- The AP reports: The Philadelphia 76ers made the final run, and that was the one that counted. Reserve Thaddeus Young scored 17 points, Willie Green added 15 and the 76ers overcame a 13-point deficit to beat the Houston Rockets 102-95 Saturday night for their fourth straight victory. Philadelphia hadn’t won four in a row since last March 11-17... Brooks scored 34 points for the Rockets and led a second quarter-surge that gave the Rockets a 57-47 halftime lead. Iguodala had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Elton Brand added 13 points. Kyle Lowry scored 14 points and Carl Landry had 13 for Houston.

Kirilenko leads Jazz over Nuggets -- The AP reports: The Utah Jazz already blew one chance to gain on Denver when the Nuggets were without their two top players. When the Nuggets showed up short-handed again, Utah was able to take advantage. Andrei Kirilenko scored 22 points and Carlos Boozer had 19 points and 13 rebounds as the Jazz increased their winning streak to eight with a 116-106 victory over the Nuggets on Saturday night... Deron Williams added 22 points, nine assists and three blocks for the Jazz. Ty Lawson led Denver with 25 points.

Bryant out but Lakers beat the Blazers 99-82 -- The AP reports: Lamar Odom thinks the reason the Los Angeles Lakers finally snapped a nine-game losing streak in Portland was because they didn’t have Kobe Bryant. But he meant no disrespect. “I think it made us a little more focused as a group, to come in here and do whatever we had to do to stay in the game,” said Odom, who matched his career high with 22 rebounds to go with 10 points in the Lakers’ 99-82 victory over the Trail Blazers on Saturday night... Bryant sat out with a sore left ankle. The 12-time All-Star and last year’s NBA finals MVP had played in 235 straight games. Ron Artest had 21 points and the Lakers pulled away in the fourth quarter, leading by as many as 19 points... LaMarcus Aldridge led Portland with 16 points.

Spurs rout Clippers in Hughes’ coaching debut -- The AP reports: With All-Stars Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili closer to the end of their NBA careers than the beginning, it’s critical for the San Antonio Spurs to develop some young talent. George Hill is one example. Hill scored all of his 22 points in the first three quarters against a Los Angeles Clippers squad suddenly faced with yet another transitionary period, and the Spurs breezed to a 98-81 victory on Saturday night... Chris Kaman had 21 points and Eric Gordon added 20 in the Clippers’ first game since Mike Dunleavy resigned as coach and was replaced on an interim basis by Kim Hughes following a 2-6 road trip.

Durant helps Thunder beat the Warriors, 104-95 -- The AP reports: While Kevin Durant was lighting up the scoreboard in the second half, Russell Westbrook was chasing a quadruple-double. Although Westbrook settled for a double-double, he made things interesting. Durant scored 29 points, Westbrook added 21, and the Oklahoma City Thunder won their fifth straight, beating the Golden State Warriors 104-95 Saturday night... Corey Maggette scored 24 points to lead the Warriors, who have lost eight straight and are 3-8 in their last 11 home games. Stephen Curry had 24 points, Anthony Tolliver added 11 points and 11 rebounds, Monta Ellis had 15 and Andris Biedrins grabbed 18 rebounds.

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NBA Game Recaps of Friday, Feb. 5



Butler’s jumper caps Wizards’ comeback over Magic -- The AP reports: Every time the Washington Wizards seemed headed for a loss, they returned in thrilling fashion. And when it counted most, they didn’t disappoint. Caron Butler made a 19-foot jumper with 0.5 seconds remaining, capping the Washington Wizards’ comeback from a 21-point deficit in a 92-91 victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday night. Butler’s jumper from the corner swished over a charging Matt Barnes, and he held his hand in the air right in front of the Magic’s bench, snapping Orlando’s four-game winning streak... Butler finished with 31 points and nine rebounds, and Randy Foye had 22 points and seven assists for the Wizards. The two shredded the Magic’s defense in the second half, slicing through the paint at will as they combined for 49 points after halftime.

Granger, Ford help Pacers rout Pistons 107-83 -- The AP reports: Pacers coach Jim O’Brien might want to re-evaluate his point guards. O’Brien benched T.J. Ford for 18 games, saying veteran Earl Watson and rookie A.J. Price gave the team its best chance to win. When O’Brien finally called on Ford, he put up 11 points and five assists in 23 minutes to help the Pacers beat the Detroit Pistons 107-83 on Friday night. Watson wasn’t with the team for personal reasons, and Ford took advantage. Though Price got his first career start, Ford provided a lift in the second quarter, when the Pacers outscored the Pistons 28-17 to take control... Danny Granger scored 25 points and Brandon Rush added 16 in one of the Pacers’ most lopsided wins in the series. Only a last-second layup by Detroit prevented the Pacers from tying the franchise record for its biggest win over the Pistons, a 26-point blowout in 1995.

Celtics rally for 96-87 win to drop Nets to 4-45 -- The AP reports: Eddie House and a late defensive surge saved the Boston Celtics from a humbling loss. House scored all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter, the New Jersey Nets made just five of 20 shots in the period and the Celtics came from behind Friday for a 96-87 victory against the worst team in the NBA. For much of the game, there seemed to be a good chance the crowd was witnessing the fifth win of the season for the Nets, who led 73-72 after three quarters. But Boston coach Doc Rivers said there was no added pressure to avoid losing to a team on pace to set a league record for futility... Ray Allen scored 26 points and Rajon Rondo added 17 as Boston won its third straight game.

Jennings’ big second half leads Bucks over Knicks -- The AP reports: Brandon Jennings showed New York what it could have had, scoring 19 of his 22 points in the second half and leading the Milwaukee Bucks to a 114-107 victory... Ersan Ilyasova came off the bench to score a career-high 25 points in place of starting center Andrew Bogut, who was forced to leave midway through the first quarter with a migraine... David Lee had a season-high 32 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Knicks, who lost for the eighth time in 11 games. Reserve Al Harrington scored 22 points. Nate Robinson finished with 13 points but shot only 3 of 12 in his first start since replacing the slumping Chris Duhon at point guard.

Young leads 76ers past Hornets, 101-94 -- The AP reports: Struggling in his new backup role, Thaddeus Young found the best way to break out of a shooting slump. He took the ball to the basket every chance he got. Young made his first seven shots and finished with 19 points, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a 101-94 win over the short-handed New Orleans Hornets on Friday night. Young, benched after starting the first 41 games, shot 6 for 23 in the Sixers’ last three. He went 8 for 9 against the Hornets, getting all but one of his buckets in the lane on drives or on fastbreak layups... Peja Stojakovic had 23 points and Darren Collison scored 17 for New Orleans, which has lost four straight at home for the first time since January 2007.

Brooks scores 19 points to help Rockets beat Grizz -- The AP reports: Aaron Brooks had 19 points and eight rebounds to help send Memphis to its fourth loss in five games with a 101-83 victory over the Grizzlies on Friday night... Trevor Ariza and Carl Landry finished with 17 points apiece, and Luis Scola added 12 points for the Rockets, who have won three of four. Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with 17 points and eight rebounds. Zach Randolph finished with 14, and Sam Young had 12. Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo had 11 each, but were a combined 8 of 23 from the field. “We played soft,” Randolph said. “They did what they wanted to. It was very disappointing. They treated us like little girls.”

Smith gets triple-double as Hawks beat Bulls 91-81 -- The AP reports: The assist Josh Smith needed for his triple-double set up the basket the Atlanta Hawks needed to finally pull away from the Chicago Bulls. Smith and Joe Johnson each scored 18 points, and the Hawks recovered in the fourth quarter to beat the Bulls 91-81 on Friday night. Smith also had 14 rebounds and 10 assists for his second career triple-double as the Hawks regrouped after trailing by six to open the final period... The Hawks had two 8-0 runs and outscored the Bulls 27-11 in the fourth. Luol Deng had 20 points and eight rebounds, and Derrick Rose scored 19 points for the Bulls, who lost their third straight.

Timberwolves rally late to beat Mavericks 117-108 -- The AP reports: Kurt Rambis had seen his young Minnesota Timberwolves unravel many times late in tight games. On Friday night, the suddenly surging Timberwolves were the ones who made the key plays in the fourth quarter. With Dirk Nowitzki not starting after he was late for a pregame shootaround, rookie Jonny Flynn scored 19 points and Minnesota snapped a 13-game losing streak against Dallas, beating the Mavericks 117-108... Kevin Love had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Al Jefferson and Ryan Hollins each chipped in with 15 points for the Timberwolves, who have a three-game win streak for the first time this season.

Suns cap perfect trip with 114-102 win over Kings -- The AP reports: Less than three weeks ago, the Phoenix Suns came home from a four-game road trip empty-handed and discouraged. The mood around the team is much different after this four-game trip. Steve Nash had 23 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds to help the Phoenix Suns complete a perfect road trip with a 114-102 victory over the struggling Sacramento Kings on Friday night... Amare Stoudemire added 30 points and nine rebounds for the Suns, who last swept a road trip of at least four games in December 2006... Donte Green scored a career-high 31 points to lead Sacramento. Omri Casspi added 17 and Tyreke Evans had 13. Kevin Martin was held to five points on 2 for 9 shooting. Martin is shooting just 35.6 percent since returning from a left injury last month and Sacramento has lost 11 of 12 games since his return to the lineup.

Billups scores 39 as Nuggets bury Lakers 126-113 -- The AP reports: The Lakers and Nuggets won’t know for another few months who’s got the other’s number. For now, though, give Denver the edge. Chauncey Billups scored a career-high 39 points, including nine 3-pointers, and the Nuggets won 126-113 Friday night, ending the Lakers’ eight-game home winning streak and improving to 2-0 against them. Billups was 12 of 20 from the floor, including 9 of 13 from 3-point range, and made 6 of 8 free throws to go with eight assists for the Nuggets, who played without Carmelo Anthony for the seventh straight game because of a sprained left ankle... Kobe Bryant scored 33 points on his sprained left ankle, but the first-place Lakers proved no match for the Western Conference’s No. 2 team, the one they beat in last year’s conference finals en route to their 15th NBA championship.

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NBA Game Recaps of Thursday, Feb. 4



LeBron, Cavs beat Heat, win 10th straight -- The AP reports: Forced to start in the backcourt, LeBron James scored 36 points—17 on free throws — and Daniel Gibson added 12 in the second half after rushing back from the hospital as the Cleveland Cavaliers ran their winning streak to 10 with a 102-84 win over Wade and the Miami Heat on Thursday night. James ran Cleveland’s offense in place of Gibson, who had been starting while Mo Williams and Delonte West recover from injuries... In attack mode from the start, James added eight assists, seven rebounds and went 17 of 21 from the line. The anticipated one-on-one showdown between him and Wade never materialized as the Cavs controlled the game and attempted 36 free throws to 14 for Miami... Wade finished with 24 points on 11 of 26 shooting and Michael Beasley had 21 as the Heat dropped its four straight and sixth in seven games... O’Neal added 13 points and eight rebounds in 21 minutes, yet another strong, efficient performance from the big man who has stepped his game up of late.

Blazers rally for 96-93 victory over Spurs -- The AP reports: Resiliency is the Trail Blazers’ trademark this season. Despite a slew of injuries—the most recent to All-Star guard Brandon Roy— Portland has managed to win in unexpected ways. Case in point: Thursday night’s 96-93 come-from-behind victory over the San Antonio Spurs... The Spurs, boosted by the return of Tony Parker, led by 10 points early in the fourth quarter but the Blazers made it 85-83 on Nicolas Batum’s layup... Webster finished with 21 points and made all five of his 3-pointers... Ginobili led the Spurs with 21 points and Tim Duncan had 15 points and 12 rebounds.

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NBA Game Recaps of Wednesday, Feb. 3

Johnson, Crawford lead Hawks over Clippers -- The AP reports: Al Horford loves it when Joe Johnson takes over in the fourth quarter. “It’s ridiculous how much he was scoring,” Horford said. “He just goes about it like a business.” Johnson scored 34 points, Jamal Crawford added 22, and the Atlanta Hawks overcame a nine-point, fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 103-97 on Wednesday night... Chris Kaman and Eric Gordon each scored 17 points for Los Angeles. The Clippers finished an eight-game trip with just two wins and have dropped 13 of 15 away games. Marcus Camby, the NBA’s third-leading rebounder, had 20 rebounds for Los Angeles, but a miscommunication with Baron Davis caused the point guard to call the Clippers’ final timeout with 2:16 remaining.

76ers rally to beat Bulls in overtime -- The AP reports: Andre Iguodala wasn’t bothered by his first five misses from 3-point territory. So he went to his favorite spot on the floor for his sixth attempt. Elton Brand scored 26 points, and Iguodala had 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists to help the Philadelphia 76ers rally for a 106-103 overtime victory over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night... Willie Green added 15 points in place of Allen Iverson, while Lou Williams had 14, and Samuel Dalembert finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Sixers (17-31), who have won two in a row. They are still just 8-16 at home... Derrick Rose scored 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, and Luol Deng and John Salmons had 17 each for the Bulls (23-24), who had their five-game road winning streak snapped.

Bosh, Weems lead Raptors past Nets -- The AP reports: Depleted by injuries and facing a deficit, the Toronto Raptors needed a boost. Sonny Weems gave it to them. Chris Bosh scored 20 points, Weems set career highs with 14 points and 11 rebounds and the short-handed Raptors beat the New Jersey Nets 108-99 on Wednesday night, their fifth win in six games... A night after scoring a career-high 34 points in a road loss to Indiana, Andrea Bargnani had 20 points for Toronto. Antoine Wright added a season-high 18 to help the Raptors top 100 points for the 15th consecutive game. Toronto is 10-5 in that span.

Robinson, strong bench help Knicks beat Wizards -- The AP reports: Nate Robinson might have played himself into the starting lineup, and Larry Hughes may have earned his way back into the rotation. And now Chris Duhon could be the odd man out. Robinson scored 23 points, Al Harrington and Hughes also put in double figures off the bench, and the New York Knicks beat the Washington Wizards 107-85 on Wednesday night to snap a three-game losing streak... David Lee had 22 points and 10 rebounds to help the Knicks avenge a 106-96 loss at Washington on Saturday... Randy Foye and Nick Young each scored 15 points for the Wizards, who played without starting forward Caron Butler (bruised left knee). Butler was hurt Monday against Boston in the same collision that injured Celtics All-Star Paul Pierce.

Durant leads Thunder past Hornets -- The AP reports: Kevin Durant scored 30 points, Russell Westbrook had 26 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds and the Thunder shot a season-high 57.5 percent in their 103-99 victory. Westbrook hit a mid-range shot with 13.7 seconds left to give the Thunder a 101-97 lead. After the Hornets cut it to 101-99 on Peja Stojakovic’s layup, Durant made a pair of free throws with 8.5 seconds left, finally putting away a Hornets team playing without injured All-Star point guard Chris Paul (knee surgery)... Marcus Thornton scored 22 points for New Orleans before leaving with a lower-back contusion after a hard fall in the fourth quarter. Stojakovic and David West added 15 each, but Oklahoma City limited West to two points after the first quarter.

Rondo leads Celts to 107-102 win over Heat -- The AP reports: Even without Paul Pierce, the Boston Celtics had too much for Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat. Rajon Rondo had 22 points and 14 assists, Kevin Garnett had a season-high nine assists, and Tony Allen made a key steal in the final minute to help the Celtics beat the Heat 107-102 on Wednesday night. Pierce watched from the bench in street clothes after spraining his left foot Monday night. Garnett played in just his seventh game after missing 10 because of a knee injury. And backup guard Marquis Daniels missed his 27th straight game with a thumb injury that required surgery... Wade led the Heat with 30 points and 13 assists but committed six turnovers.

Mavericks turn away Warriors 110-101 -- The AP reports: Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks picked up the pace in the fourth quarter to hold off the sputtering Golden State Warriors. Nowitzki scored nine of his 20 points in the final period, Jason Terry had 21 points and the Mavericks extended Golden State’s losing streak to seven games, beating the Warriors 110-101 on Wednesday night. In a loss at Utah on Monday night, Nowitzki did not take a shot from the field in the final quarter. The Jazz led by one after three and eventually won 104-92 as the Dallas star took only two free throws in the last 12 minutes... Four days after Portland’s Andre Miller scored 52 points against Dallas, Golden State’s Monta Ellis poured in a career-high 46 points. “That’s what we do,” Nowitzki joked. “We give guys contract extensions.” Ellis hit 17 of 23 shots from the field and 8 of 13 free throws. Corey Maggette scored 20 points in the second half, and C.J. Watson had 14 points for the Warriors.

Williams has 13 points, 13 assists for Jazz -- The AP reports: Deron Williams called it an easy night—just pass the ball and whoever caught it was likely to score. It’s been that way lately for the Williams and the Utah Jazz, who increased their season-high winning streak to seven with a 118-105 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night. “I like it. I’d rather do this,” said Williams, who had 13 points and 13 assists to help the Jazz beat the Blazers for the second time in a week... Mehmet Okur had a scored a season-high 28 points and had eight rebounds, and Andrei Kirilenko added 22 points, eight assists and six rebounds for Utah. Paul Millsap had 12 points and eight rebounds, rookie Wesley Matthews had 16 points and C.J. Miles scored 10.

Hill, Duncan lead Spurs over Kings -- The AP reports: Filling in admirably for the injured Tony Parker, George Hill tied a career high with 23 points, had a career-high nine assists, and hit four free throws in the final 6.5 seconds to help the Spurs beat the Sacramento Kings 115-113 on Wednesday night. Although the Spurs received the typical production from All-Star Tim Duncan — 22 points and 13 rebounds—Hill received quite a bit of credit afterward... DeJuan Blair and Manu Ginobili had 20 points each for the Spurs, who played their third straight game without Parker (sprained ankle). Evans had a career-tying 32 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for the Kings. Hawes had 18 points, Kevin Martin added 15, and Donte Green had 12.

Suns beat Nuggets for 4th straight win -- The AP reports: The road has become Amare Stoudemire’s sanctuary, his place to clear his mind and get away from all the swirling trade rumors and speculation. He’s free to simply focus on what he does best: Turning in big games. Stoudemire had 20 points and 17 rebounds, leading the Phoenix Suns to a 109-97 victory Wednesday night over a Denver squad missing Carmelo Anthony... The Suns were simply clicking Wednesday, shooting nearly 50 percent from the field. Jason Richardson added 20 points, and Steve Nash had 17 points and 10 assists as the Suns matched a season high with their fourth straight win.

Jackson passes Riley in Lakers’ win over Bobcats -- The AP reports: With his superstar hobbling and the Charlotte Bobcats refusing to go away, Phil Jackson never got terribly comfortable while becoming the winningest coach in Los Angeles Lakers history. Andrew Bynum had 17 points and 14 rebounds, and Lamar Odom scored 19 points while making several big plays down the stretch, making sure Jackson added another superlative to his matchless coaching career in Los Angeles’ 99-97 victory over the Bobcats on Wednesday night... Bryant aggravated his already-sore left foot when Odom stepped on it late in the first half. His jumping and speed obviously compromised, Bryant then failed to score in the fourth quarter of his first single-digit scoring game of the season... Stephen Jackson scored 30 points for the Bobcats, who played without injured All-Star Gerald Wallace in the finale of a six-game trip. Nazr Mohammed added 23 points and 17 rebounds, but the Bobcats couldn’t quite pull ahead to beat the Lakers for the fourth straight time, even with Bryant’s woes.

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NBA Game Recaps of Tuesday, Feb. 2

LeBron, Shaq lead Cavs past Grizzlies -- The AP reports: LeBron James tied a career high with 15 assists and Shaquille O’Neal ruled underneath, collecting 13 points and 13 rebounds in 21 minutes to help the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the worn-down Memphis Grizzlies 105-89 on Tuesday night for their ninth straight victory. James scored 22, but like Magic Johnson, one of the legends to whom he is often compared, he was more focused on setting up his teammates... Rudy Gay scored 15 for Memphis, playing its fourth game in five nights. Zach Randolph finished with eight points—13 below his average—on 3-of-14 shooting and O.J. Mayo had 10 on a 4-of-15 night as Cleveland’s defense clamped down hard on the Grizzlies, who beat the Cavs in December.

Carter’s efficient game helps Magic beat Bucks -- The AP reports: Vince Carter had 17 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists to lead the short-handed Orlando Magic to an easy 99-82 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night. The struggling shooting guard had by far his most efficient game in more than a month, giving Orlando its seventh win in eight games. Carter had shot just 28 percent in January... Charlie Bell and Luke Ridnour had 13 points apiece for the Bucks, who had their three-game winning streak snapped. Milwaukee fell to 0-3 against Orlando this season... Dwight Howard, who finished with 22 points, came back on the other end with a two-handed alley-oop dunk on a pass by Jason Williams that wasn’t even that close to the rim. Orlando eventually went ahead 77-57 at the start of the fourth quarter.

Granger leads Pacers past Raptors -- The AP reports: The Indiana Pacers were on their best behavior while their teacher was away. Lester Conner coached in place of Jim O’Brien, who attended a family funeral, and Indiana responded with an impressive 130-115 victory over the surging Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night. Danny Granger scored 23 points to help the Pacers snap Toronto’s five-game winning streak. Indiana also ended a three-game skid... Troy Murphy had 20 points and 14 rebounds. Roy Hibbert added 18 points and nine boards for Indiana, and Earl Watson finished with 15 points and a season-high 11 assists... Chris Bosh had 35 points and 15 rebounds, and Andrea Bargnani scored a career-high 34 points for the Raptors.

Prince’s late dunk lifts Pistons over Nets 97-93 -- The AP reports: With everyone back in the lineup for the first time since the start of the season, the Detroit Pistons once again found a way to win. Tayshaun Prince slammed down a tiebreaking dunk on an inbounds play with 45.6 seconds left and the Pistons snapped a five-game losing streak with a 97-93 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Tuesday night... Richard Hamilton had 11 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, including three free throws in the final 21.3 seconds, and the key pass on the go-ahead basket. Rodney Stuckey added 21 points and the screen on Prince’s dunk, while Bynum had 10 points in his first game since being sidelined for 16 with a sprained left ankle... Brook Lopez led New Jersey with 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting from the field. Devin Harris returned to the lineup after missing four games with a wrist injury and had 24 points and a season-high 14 assists for the Nets (4-43), who were outscored 10-2 in the final 2:22.

Durant scores 33 as Thunder beat Hawks 106-99 -- The AP reports: Kevin Durant had 33 points and 11 rebounds, and Oklahoma City recovered after its big lead slipped away to beat the Atlanta Hawks 106-99 on Tuesday night... With Atlanta within two, Durant hit jumpers on back-to-back possessions to make it 97-93, then provided assists on a 3-pointer by Jeff Green and a layup by Russell Westbrook that helped put away the game... Jeff Green added 19 points and Westbrook narrowly missed a triple-double with 12 points, nine assists and nine rebounds as Oklahoma City committed a season-low seven turnovers—outdoing even the NBA’s best team at protecting the ball by three. Joe Johnson scored 37 points and helped Atlanta rally back to tie it after trailing by 13 late in the third quarter. Josh Smith added 15 points and Al Horford scored 14 for the Hawks, who fell out of first place in the Southeast Division with a loss to Orlando on Saturday and have now lost three of four.

Kaman’s return sparks Clippers in win over Bulls -- The AP reports: Without center Chris Kaman, the Clippers couldn’t get a lead— let alone a victory. Once he returned from an ankle injury, Los Angeles dominated a Chicago team coming off its most impressive road stretch since the Michael Jordan dynasty days. “Kaman’s our anchor. It’s a big difference when he plays,” coach Mike Dunleavy said Tuesday night after Kaman’s 21 points and 11 rebounds helped the Clippers snap a four-game losing streak with a 90-82 victory over the Bulls... Eric Gordon took advantage, scoring 24 points as the Clippers won for just the second time in their last 14 road games... “We were just making bad plays, making bad decisions,” said Derrick Rose, who averaged 24.6 points during the winning streak but had 16 points on 7-for-20 shooting Tuesday. “It was tough the whole night.”

Brooks, Landry lead Rockets past Warriors -- The AP reports: The Houston Rockets finally got a breather after a month of close games. Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry scored 24 points apiece, and the Rockets salvaged the last game of their longest homestand of the season, routing the Golden State Warriors 119-97 on Tuesday night. Trevor Ariza scored 18 points and Chuck Hayes grabbed 13 rebounds for the Rockets, who finished their six-game homestand with a disappointing 2-4 record. The Rockets led by as many as 28 and won easily, a much-needed blowout after they went 7-9 in the previous 16 games, all decided by 10 points or less... Monta Ellis scored 34 points for the Warriors, who’ve lost six in a row overall and 12 of their last 13 road games. Corey Maggette, Golden State’s second-leading scorer, sat out with a hip pointer, and the short-handed Warriors fell into a 21-point hole in the first quarter.

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NBA Game Recaps of Monday, Feb. 1



Celtics beat Wizards 99-88 to end losing streak -- The AP reports: Dealing with a three-game losing streak, and struggling against a troubled team, Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics turned to their defense to pull out a victory. The Washington Wizards thought the Celtics got some extra help from the referees. Garnett’s 19 points led six Celtics in double figures, and Boston limited Washington to 2-for-18 shooting in the fourth quarter en route to a 99-88 victory over the Wizards on Monday night... Wizards co-captain Antawn Jamison was whistled for five fouls in the fourth quarter alone on an all-around rough night that started with his left knee feeling badly during warmups. He scored only eight points—13 below his average — and shot 2 for 17 on field goals, 0 for 9 in the second half. He made 4 of 6 free throws... Rajon Rondo had 17 points and 12 assists for Boston. Caron Butler led Washington with 20 points and 11 rebounds.

Bogut leads Bucks past sliding Heat again, 97-81 -- The AP reports: Milwaukee’s first 10 shots were all off the mark. Good thing, or else the Bucks would have made a long night even worse for the fast-fading Miami Heat. Andrew Bogut had 22 points and 11 rebounds, Carlos Delfino finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds and the Bucks beat Miami for the second time in three nights, 97-81 Monday to climb within two games of the Heat for the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot... Charlie Bell and Hakim Warrick each scored 12 for the Bucks, who outscored Miami 54-27 over the final 19 1/2 minutes of the first half to take control. Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 23 points, including single-handedly scoring the first 11 of the game. From there, the Heat went shockingly cold, setting season-worsts by shooting 17.6 percent in the first quarter and 27.5 percent in the half.

Suns top short-handed Hornets -- The AP reports: The Phoenix Suns had a good reason not to be overconfident playing New Orleans without injured All-Star point guard Chris Paul. They’d already lost to the Hornets in November when Paul didn’t play. Amare Stoudemire scored 25 points and Grant Hill hit two late key baskets and the Suns held on to beat the Hornets 109-100 on Monday... Channing Frye added 20 points, including three 3-pointers as the Suns took control in the second quarter. Robin Lopez added 18 points and Steve Nash had 18 points and 12 assists.

Bryant gets Lakers’ mark, but Grizzlies get win -- The AP reports: Kobe Bryant got the Los Angeles Lakers’ franchise scoring record, but the Memphis Grizzlies spoiled the celebration. Bryant scored 44 points, passing Jerry West as the Lakers’ career scorer, but it wasn’t enough as the Grizzlies got 22 points and 17 rebounds from Zach Randolph to defeat the Lakers 95-93 on Monday night... While the focus was on Bryant and the Lakers’ record, Memphis held on for the victory. Rudy Gay led the Grizzlies with 25 points, and his 3-pointer with 29.5 seconds left helped Memphis end its two-game losing streak.

Williams’ double-double leads Jazz over Mavs -- The AP reports: After three periods of lead changes and ties, the Utah Jazz put an end to the back-and-forth with the Dallas Mavericks with a smothering fourth quarter. Utah outscored Dallas 27-16 and had twice as many rebounds in the final period while pulling away for a 104-92 win Monday night, extending the Jazz’s longest winning streak of the season to six. “We just have everybody playing at a high level right now. We have a lot of confidence and we understand what it takes to win right now,” said Deron Williams, who had 18 points and 15 assists... It was a big night for Williams and fellow Dallas native C.J. Miles, who scored 17 for the Jazz. Paul Millsap had 25 points, nine rebounds and four blocks and Andrei Kirilenko added 13 points, eight boards and four steals for Utah. Kirilenko shadowed Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki in the fourth quarter, holding him without a field-goal attempt and limiting him to just two points after he scored 14 of his 28 points in the third.

OT jumper wins it for Nuggets over Kings -- The AP reports: Arron Afflalo gave himself room for an open look at the basket with a quick step-back move. Then he relaxed and took the shot. He sank a 21-foot fallaway jumper from the baseline with 18.4 seconds left in overtime, and the Denver Nuggets, down by 17 points in the third quarter, rallied to beat the Sacramento Kings 112-109 Monday night... Kenyon Martin had 24 points and 12 rebounds and Chauncey Billups had 23 points for the Nuggets, who improved to 3-0 in overtime this season and averted being swept in their three-game season series with the Kings... Spencer Hawes had 23 points and Kevin Martin had 22 for Sacramento, which lost for the third time in four OT games. The Kings lost their 10th road game in a row.

Trail Blazers handle Bobcats -- The AP reports: Portland (29-21) hit its first four shots and wound up shooting 53.3 percent. The Bobcats, who lost for the first time in four games, missed their first four shots and finished the game shooting 40.6 percent. The quick start, which put Portland in front 10-2 and 29-19 by the end of the first quarter, was nothing like the Blazers’ recent losses to New Orleans and Utah. In those games, Portland couldn’t recover after trailing by double digits during the first quarter... Portland had six players score in double figures, led by LaMarcus Aldridge with 17 points. Nicolas Batum and Bayless had 15 points each, followed by Rudy Fernandez with 11 and Martell Webster and Dante Cunningham with 10 each. Andre Miller, who had 52 points on Saturday, had eight points and 10 assists for the Blazers... Leading the way for Charlotte was Stephen Jackson, who scored 23 points. Gerald Wallace had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Bobcats.

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NBA Game Recaps of Sunday, Jan. 31

Anthony sits again, but Nuggets still beat Spurs -- The AP reports: After revealing that Carmelo Anthony would miss a fourth straight game Sunday, Denver Nuggets coach George Karl joked he would beg the NBA’s leading scorer one last time to play. They didn’t need him. Denver is still winning just fine. Kenyon Martin scored 27 points and Chauncey Billups had 25 points and 11 assists, leading the Nuggets past the San Antonio Spurs 103-89 without Anthony, who took another day to rest his left ankle that he injured more than a week ago... George Hill had 17 points in place of Parker, and the Spurs finished a disappointing six-game homestand at 2-4. If there was a season the Spurs needed their annual Rodeo Road Trip to come together, this would be it... Tim Duncan had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs.

Beat LA? Not this time for Celtics -- The AP reports: Kobe Bryant sank the go-ahead basket with 7.3 seconds left, and the Lakers won 90-89 on Sunday for their third consecutive victory over the struggling Celtics. Boston has not been able to make good on the traditional “Beat L.A.!” chant since winning 131-92 to clinch the 2008 NBA championship here in Game 6 of the finals... Bryant finished with 19, Andrew Bynum had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Pau Gasol had 11 points and 11 boards for the Lakers, who won their fourth consecutive game... Rajon Rondo had 21 points and 12 assists for the Celtics, who have lost six of their last eight games.

Bosh, Raptors beat Pacers for fifth straight win -- The AP reports: Chris Bosh had 26 points and 15 rebounds, Andrea Bargnani scored 17 points and the Toronto Raptors won their fifth straight game, beating the Indiana Pacers 117-102 on Sunday night... Toronto has won 15 of 20, pulling within 4 1/2 games of Boston for the Atlantic Division lead. The Celtics lost 90-89 to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, their third straight defeat... Luther Head scored 15 points as Indiana lost its third straight. Troy Murphy and Brandon Rush each had 14. Danny Granger came in averaging nearly 30 points in his past three games against Toronto but was ineffective in this one, tasked with guarding Bosh and slowed by early fouls. Granger shot 3 for 13 and scored just eight points.

76ers beat Nets to end 3-game losing streak -- The AP reports: Andre Iguodala scored 14 points, including seven in a key portion of the third quarter, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to an 83-79 victory over the Nets on Sunday night... The Nets had a chance to tie with 8 seconds left, but Hayes’ 3-point attempt fell short. The Sixers had five players in double figures, with Samuel Dalembert adding 12 points and 11 rebounds, Lou Williams scoring 11 points and Elton Brand 10... Nets point guard Devin Harris missed his third straight game due to a sore right wrist.

Cleveland scores 46 in 1st quarter, routs Clippers -- The AP reports: When LeBron James hit his fourth 3-pointer of the first quarter — from 30 feet away—Los Angeles Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy sat silent in his chair while the sold-out crowd roared around him. There was little Dunleavy or his team could do to stop the Cleveland Cavaliers during their 114-89 win Sunday night. James scored half of Cleveland’s 46 points in the first quarter and the streaking Cavaliers tied an NBA record with 11 3-pointers in the opening period of their season-best eighth straight victory... Baron Davis had 30 points for the Clippers, who have dropped four straight and are 1-5 on this eight-game road trip. Los Angeles was again without center Chris Kaman, who has missed consecutive games with a sprained left ankle. Eric Gordon had 12 points and DeAndre Jordan added 11 for Los Angeles. O’Neal had 16 points and 12 rebounds for Cleveland, which kicked off a seven-game homestand with an easy win. Gibson had 14 points and Jawad Williams added 12 off the bench.

Magic beat Pistons; Van Gundy to coach All-Stars -- The AP reports: Even though the Detroit Pistons are having their worst season in 16 years, coach Stan Van Gundy knew his Orlando Magic were in trouble Sunday night. After all, the Magic had lost 10 of their last 11 visits to the Palace of Auburn Hills, and they were knocked out of the playoffs by the Pistons in 2007 and 2008. Sure enough, Orlando blew a 15-point first-half lead and trailed for much of the second half before rallying behind J.J. Redick to post a 91-86 victory... Redick led Orlando with 17 points, including 14 in the second half. Dwight Howard added 16 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks despite missing 10 of 18 free throws... Rodney Stuckey had 18 points and Tayshaun Prince added 16 for Detroit, which lost its fifth straight.

Durant goes for 45 as Thunder outlast Warriors -- The AP reports: After scoring a season-high 45 points, Kevin Durant was bound to make a move in the NBA scoring race. So where does he stand now? “Don’t even tell me,” Durant said. Without knowing it, Durant passed LeBron James to take over second place in the scoring race, Russell Westbrook added 28 points and eight assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Golden State Warriors 112-104 on Sunday night... Durant made 16-of-21 shots and ended up two points shy of the highest-scoring output of his career—and the Thunder ended up needing every basket... Corey Maggette scored 26 points for Golden State and Monta Ellis added 25, including a pair of 3-pointers that got the Warriors within three late. But he missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer with 1:06 left, and the Warriors didn’t score again.

Timberwolves rout hapless Knicks 112-91 -- The AP reports: Kevin Love had a career-high 25 points to go with 11 rebounds and the Timberwolves exacted a little payback on the New York Knicks with a 112-91 victory Sunday night that was easily their most lopsided of this long season. Ryan Hollins had 16 points and three blocks in his second straight strong game since being inserted into the starting lineup for the Timberwolves (11-38), who lost by 27 points at Madison Square Garden last week... Wilson Chandler scored 27 points for the Knicks (18-29), who fell 11 games below .500 for the first time since Dec. 2 when they were 4-15... Al Jefferson added 22 points and 11 rebounds and the Wolves held a 51-8 advantage in bench scoring.

Stoudemire, Nash carry Suns past Rockets in OT -- The AP reports: Amare Stoudemire scored a season-high 36 points, Steve Nash handed out 16 assists and the Suns snapped a five-game road losing streak with a 115-111 overtime victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night. Nash scored 11 points and grabbed a season-high eight rebounds, and Grant Hill added 19 points for the Suns, who got their first road win since a 113-109 victory in Sacramento on Jan. 5. Their last road win before that came on Nov. 29 in Toronto... Aaron Brooks scored 24 points after shooting poorly in the first half and Trevor Ariza had 21 for the Rockets, who’ve lost five of their last eight games.

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NBA Game Recaps of Saturday, Jan. 30



Andre Miller scores 52 in Portland win over Mavericks -- The AP reports: Andre Miller scored a career-high 52 points, including 25 in the fourth quarter and overtime, and Juwan Howard hit a jumper with 44.8 seconds left to lift the Trail Blazers past the Dallas Mavericks 114-112 Saturday night. On Portland’s second possession of the game, Miller’s 15-foot jumper missed the rim the completely and hit the backboard. That was one of his few misfires as Miller finished 22 of 31 from the floor and 7 of 8 from the foul line... Dirk Nowitzki scored 28 points, but he missed two shots in the final minute and one just before the buzzer that could have sent the game into a second overtime... LaMarcus Aldridge scored 21 points and Jerryd Bayless added 17 for Portland, which was playing without All-Star guard Brandon Roy for a sixth straight game because of a right hamstring injury.

Magic handle Hawks, 104-86 -- The AP reports: Dwight Howard helped the Orlando Magic beat a top conference rival for the second game in a row. Howard had 31 points and 19 rebounds and the Orlando Magic coasted to a 104-86 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, two nights after a last-second victory over Boston... Hawks’ big men Al Horford, Zaza Pachulia and Jason Collins combined for just six points, 11 rebounds, no blocks and 13 fouls against Howard... Redick had a career-best seven assists and eight points while being matched up defensively against Jamal Crawford, who was just 6 of 17 from the field.

Miller’s 25 points lead Wizards over Knicks -- The AP reports: The Washington Wizards have had one issue with Mike Miller this season: He’s been too unselfish. That wasn’t the case on Saturday night. Miller scored a season-high 25 points—including 17 in the third quarter and seven 3-pointers as the Wizards beat the New York Knicks 106-96. It was a night for superlatives for Washington, which earned its fourth two-game winning streak, but has yet to win three in a row. Antawn Jamison had 21 points and a career-high 23 rebounds; the team had a season-high 59 rebounds and equaled a high with 11 3-pointers... With 23 rebounds, two more than his previous high, Jamison should have been totally pleased. He wasn’t. He missed 16 of his 26 shots, but had 11 offensive rebounds... David Lee, who found out this week he didn’t make the All-Star team, led the Knicks with 24 points.

Hornets slip past Grizzlies in OT -- The AP reports: Darren Collison, subbing for the injured Hornets’ point guard, scored 17 points and had a career-best 18 assists and New Orleans defeated Memphis 109-102 in overtime on Saturday, snapping the Grizzlies’ 11-game home winning streak... Emeka Okafor had 21 points, including 19 after halftime, as New Orleans overcame a 21-point deficit in the third quarter to win its third game out of the past four... David West led New Orleans with 22 points, while Peja Stojakovic had 20 points... Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol had 25 points apiece for Memphis, which had not lost a home game since a 110-105 defeat to the Boston Celtics on Dec. 4. O.J. Mayo scored 17 points and Rudy Gay and Mike Conley scored 10 apiece, but struggled from the field, shooting a combined 7 of 30.

Warrick leads Bucks to 95-84 win over Heat -- The AP reports: The Milwaukee Bucks wanted to pressure Dwyane Wade on every possession, and it worked for one game. Reserve forward Hakim Warrick scored 10 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter and the Milwaukee Bucks held off the short-handed Miami Heat for a 95-84 win on Saturday... Wade led the Heat with 21 points, but never seemed to get into his usual dominating rhythm due to foul trouble. Wade, who shot 6 for 20, missed the six 3-point attempts he tried, including a pair of 3s down the stretch... Brandon Jennings, who scored 17 points and had five assists, liked how Bell guarded Wade.

Bobcats, Wallace hold off Kings -- The AP reports: His time with the Sacramento Kings is in Gerald Wallace’s past. The Charlotte Bobcats standout calls his three years with the Kings “ancient history.” It’s been six years since Wallace was mostly a forgotten player on a championship-caliber team. But he certainly had the Kings organization remembering what they lost after a season-high 38 points and 11 rebounds led the Bobcats to a 103-96 victory over Sacramento on Saturday... Nazr Mohammed had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Bobcats. After consecutive 30-point games, Stephen Jackson shot the ball poorly (5 of 19) and had 13 points and eight assists. Flip Murray also had 13 points. Kevin Martin scored 31 points for the Kings, who have dropped two straight and nine of 10. Omri Casspi scored 14 points and Jason Thompson had 12 points and tied a season high with 16 rebounds.

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NBA Game Recaps of Friday, Jan. 29



Bryant leads Lakers to 99-91 win over 76ers -- The AP reports: A.I. vs. Kobe delivered the throwback duel fans paid to see. Just like in the 2001 NBA finals, Bryant’s Lakers topped Allen Iverson’s 76ers. Bryant roused the 20,000 fans who came to jeer him as much as they did to root on the 76ers, scoring 24 points to lead Los Angeles to a 99-91 win over Philadelphia on Friday night... While Bryant is still in his prime, Iverson is in a steady decline. Lakers coach Phil Jackson said the All-Star showdown misses some of the buzz of years past when both could make the argument they were tops at their position. Don’t tell Iverson. He crossed-over and crashed his way toward a season-high 23 points.Pau Gasol had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Ron Artest scored 18 points and Lamar Odom had 13 for the Lakers. Elton Brand scored 19 points, and Sam Dalembert had 10 points and 12 rebounds.

James leads Cavs to 7th straight victory, 94-73 -- The AP reports: The only question left in the final minutes was whether or not LeBron James would get his 27th career triple-double. He finished one rebound short, but the Cavaliers still beat the Indiana Pacers 94-73 on Friday night to win their seventh straight game. James finished with 22 points, a season-high 13 assists and nine boards. The sellout crowd, most of which stayed despite their team trailing by as many as 23 points, got excited when James grabbed his ninth rebound with 3:37 to play. He left the game with 2:36 remaining and his team ahead 93-71... James was 6-for-18 from the field, but dominated every other facet... Shaquille O’Neal tied a season high with 22 points in 25 minutes on 8-for-10 shooting... Danny Granger led the Pacers with 13 points, but he shot 6 for 23 from the field. He also had 10 rebounds and five assists.

Hawks beat Celtics 100-91 to sweep season series -- The AP reports: Joe Johnson was already looking ahead to the playoffs as he sought perspective on the Atlanta Hawks’ first season sweep of the Celtics in 11 years. Johnson scored 16 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter to help the Hawks beat Boston 100-91 to complete the four-game sweep. The Hawks (30-15) completed the four-game sweep of the regular-season series to move one-half game ahead of Boston (29-15) for second place in the Eastern Conference... Jamal Crawford had 28 points as the Hawks recovered after Boston cut a 14-point deficit to one in the third quarter. Paul Pierce led Boston with a season-high 35 points... Kevin Garnett had 15 as Boston’s only other scorer in double figures.

Bulls win fifth straight, 108-106 over Hornets -- The AP reports: For a year and a half, the Chicago Bulls rarely won on the road. Suddenly, they can’t lose away from home. Luol Deng scored 26 points, including a putback with 0.2 left in regulation to force overtime, and the Chicago Bulls outlasted the New Orleans Hornets 108-106 on Friday night. Derrick Rose added 18 points for the Bulls, including two free throws that put Chicago ahead for good in overtime. The Bulls finished a season-long, seven-game road trip with their fifth consecutive victory... David West led New Orleans with 29 points. Chris Paul added 18 points and 12 assists, but he hurt his left leg trying to save a loose ball near the end of regulation and was ineffective in overtime. He pulled up in the backcourt and had to give the ball to rookie point guard Darren Collison on the final play after teammate Peja Stojakovic poked it away from Rose.

Boykins jumper with 0.4 left gives Wizards win -- The AP reports: Two days after the NBA suspended their leading scorer and another teammate, Earl Boykins and the Wizards’ reserves gave Washington a much needed lift, if only for a night. Boykins hit a jumper with 0.4 to play and Washington defeated the New Jersey Nets 81-79 on Friday night, the Wizards’ first game since guards Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton were suspended for the remainder of the season for bringing weapons into the locker room... The 5-foot-5 guard came off the bench, scored a team-high 15 points on 7 of 13 shooting from the field and grabbed five rebounds... Reserves Andray Blatche added 14 points and Nick Young had 10 for the Wizards, who did not get double figures from any of their starting five. Courtney Lee had 19 points—17 in the first half—and Lopez added 17 and eight rebounds for the Nets.

Anthony sits as Thunder end Nuggets’ 9-game streak -- The AP reports: Already scoring with more consistency than any NBA player ever has at his age, Kevin Durant believes his first trip to the All-Star game is only the beginning. Durant scored 30 points to continue a monthlong tear and the Oklahoma City Thunder snapped Denver’s nine-game winning streak with a 101-84 victory Friday night, limiting the Nuggets to their lowest scoring output of the season. Durant, who leads the NBA in scoring since Christmas and is third overall behind Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James, had at least 25 points for the 20th straight game. At 21, he’s the youngest player ever to accomplish that feat... Chauncey Billups led the Nuggets with 19 points and reserve J.R. Smith hit five 3-pointers and scored 18. Denver shot 10-for-21 from 3-point range, losing for the first time in 11 games when reaching double digits in 3-pointers.

Wade leads Heat to 92-65 win over Pistons -- The AP reports: The Miami Heat haven’t had many things come easily this season, and Friday started off like another long night. After all, Heat forward Michael Beasley missed his first game of the season with a hyperextended right knee, and Miami got another scare when Jermaine O’Neal went down with a knee injury in the first minute. It didn’t matter. Dwyane Wade scored 22 points in 24 minutes and O’Neal came back to record a double-double as the Heat routed the Detroit Pistons 92-65... The Pistons have lost 18 of their last 22 games but were still one of the league’s best rebounding teams... Udonis Haslem added 16 points for the Heat, who snapped a two-game losing streak, and Dorell Wright scored 12. Charlie Villanueva led the Pistons in scoring with 15 points. Tayshaun Prince (10) was Detroit’s only starter to reach double figures.

Clippers fall to lowly Wolves 111-97 -- The AP reports: Two nights after losing to the worst team in the East, the Clippers lost to the team with the Western Conference’s worst record, falling 111-97 to the Timberwolves on Friday night. Al Jefferson scored 12 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, and the Timberwolves led by as many as 23 points in their 10th victory this season. Jefferson also had 16 rebounds and Ryan Hollins tied a career-high with 19 points for Minnesota... Baron Davis scored 23 of his 28 points in a brilliant third quarter, but the Clippers already had dug themselves too big a hole... Corey Brewer, who scored 20 points, hit a 3-pointer that gave the Timberwolves a 66-43 lead early in the third quarter before Davis went on a tear.

Duncan leads Spurs to 104-97 win over Grizzlies -- The AP reports: Even without point guard Tony Parker, the San Antonio Spurs had more depth than the Memphis Grizzlies could handle. In their first game since Parker sprained his ankle Wednesday, the Spurs got 18 points from backup George Hill and plenty of help from Manu Ginobili and Roger Mason Jr. in a 104-97 victory over the Grizzlies on Friday night... Mason and Ginobili led the way as San Antonio rolled up a 42-21 edge in points off the bench. Mason scored 12 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, and Ginobili finished with 14 points and seven assists... O.J. Mayo led Memphis with 28 points, and Zach Randolph added 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Brooks leads Rockets to 104-100 win over Blazers -- The AP reports: The Houston Rockets got back to their attacking style and snapped a three-game losing streak. Aaron Brooks scored 33 points and Carl Landry added 21 in the Rockets’ 104-100 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night. Brooks reached 30 points for the fifth time this season, and Luis Scola and Trevor Ariza added 12 points apiece for the Rockets, who’ve won 12 of the last 13 regular-season meetings with the Blazers in Houston... Rudy Fernandez sank five 3-pointers and scored 25 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 20 for the Blazers, who played without injured leading scorer Brandon Roy for the fifth straight game. Portland has dropped five of its last seven, and four of the five games Roy has missed with a right hamstring injury.

Millsap ties career high with 32 as Jazz top Kings -- The AP reports: After waiting 45 games for his first start of the season, Paul Millsap played as if he didn’t want it to be his last. Millsap tied his career high with 32 points and added 14 rebounds and seven assists to lead the short-handed Utah Jazz over the Sacramento Kings 101-94 on Friday night. Utah was without starters Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams, but still pulled off its fifth straight win for the Jazz’s longest winning streak of the season... Andrei Kirilenko added 18 points, seven rebounds and blocked five shots— including one with 25 seconds left to help seal it for Utah—and Sundiata Gaines added 12 points and five assists... Kevin Martin led Sacramento with 33 points and Tyreke Evans had 25 points and six assists.

Jackson returns as Bobcats beat Warriors 121-110 -- The AP reports: Stephen Jackson, Charlotte’s mercurial forward who has been known to lose his cool, stayed remarkably calm in his return to Oracle Arena and has the Bobcats in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race as a result. Jackson scored 30 points in his first appearance in Oakland since a mid-November trade from Golden State, Gerald Wallace had 30 points and 13 rebounds and the Bobcats beat the Warriors 121-110 on Friday night... Raymond Felton and D.J. Augustin added 14 points apiece for the Bobcats (23-22), who have won 10 of 15. Corey Maggette had 25 points, while Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry had 22 points apiece for the Warriors (13-32), who have lost five of six.

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NBA Game Recaps of Thursday, Jan. 28



Bosh leads Raptors past Knicks -- The AP reports: Chris Bosh had 27 points and 15 rebounds, Hedo Turkoglu set season highs with 26 points and 11 rebounds and the Toronto Raptors rallied for a 106-104 victory over the New York Knicks... Jarrett Jack made one of two free throws in the final seconds and drew a charging call on Al Harrington on New York’s final possession, helping Toronto (25-22) move three games over .500 for the first time this season... David Lee had 29 points and 18 rebounds for New York, 3-7 in its last 10 games. The sluggish stretch includes a victory over woeful Minnesota and an embarrassing 128-78 loss to Dallas on Sunday—the worst home loss in franchise history.

Lewis’ layup caps Magic’s win over Celtics -- The AP reports: The play designed for Vince Carter was being shredded. J.J. Redick stood near midcourt, swarmed by defenders, unable to make the pass with the clock about to run out on an improbable come back. Instead, Rashard Lewis caught the ball and surprised everybody. Lewis made the go-ahead layup with 1.3 seconds remaining, and the Orlando Magic overcame a 16-point deficit to beat the Boston Celtics 96-94 on Thursday night... Lewis led the Magic with 23 points, and Dwight Howard overcome early foul trouble to finish with 19 points and 10 rebounds, including 11 points in the fourth quarter. Ray Allen had 20 points, and Wallace added 17 for the Celtics, who took a big lead on potent 3-point shooting but wilted from outside in the final period.

Suns rally to beat Mavericks -- The AP reports: Louis Amundson and fellow reserves Goran Dragic and Jared Dudley led an unlikely comeback with 14 fourth-quarter points and the Suns rallied to beat the Dallas Mavericks 112-106 on Thursday night. “It was cool,” said Amundson, who finished with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting... Amundson was on the floor at the expense of Amare Stoudemire, who had 22 points before spending the entire fourth quarter on the bench for what he said was “the first time in my life but it’s all good.” Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry said Stoudemire was sidelined not for anything he did or didn’t do but because of the energy the subs brought to the floor... Steve Nash added 19 points and 11 assists, and Jason Richardson had 17 points to help the Suns snap a three-game losing streak against the Mavericks... Jason Terry led Dallas with 19 points, Dirk Nowitzki had 17 and Shawn Marion added 15. Nowitzki played in his 884th game to surpass Brad Davis as Dallas’ career leader.

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NBA Game Recaps of Wednesday, Jan. 27



Bryant, Bynum lead Lakers past Pacers 118-96 -- The AP reports: Andrew Bynum played as though he was making a final statement ahead of Thursday’s All-Star reserves announcement. The center scored a season-high 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to help the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Indiana Pacers 118-96 on Wednesday night. Bynum finished second in the Western Conference voting at center with more than 980,000 votes. The fans voted Phoenix’s Amare Stoudemire in as the starter... Bynum scored 22 points in the first half. Kobe Bryant took over in the second half and finished with a game-high 29 points to go with nine rebounds and seven assists... Gasol had 21 points and 13 rebounds and Lamar Odom added 12 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers, who outrebounded the Pacers 62-42 and set a season rebounding high. Roy Hibbert scored 21 points, Troy Murphy scored 18, Granger had 14 and Brandon Rush added 13 points and 11 rebounds for Indiana.

Bosh leads Raptors to 111-103 victory over Heat -- The AP reports: Chris Bosh and the Toronto Raptors showed no signs of a letdown after Sunday’s big win against the Los Angeles Lakers. Bosh had 24 points and a season-high 18 rebounds, Andrea Bargnani scored 27 points and the Raptors beat the Miami Heat 111-103 on Wednesday night... Dwyane Wade had 35 points and 10 assists and former Raptors center Jermaine O’Neal scored 22 for Miami, which lost Michael Beasley to a right knee injury.

Hickson’s 23 leads Cavs to easy win over T-Wolves -- The AP reports: LeBron James’ only moves in the fourth quarter were in a playful dance-off with one of the arena’s ushers. After a string of nail-biters, the Cleveland Cavaliers finally enjoyed a blowout. J.J. Hickson scored a career-high 23, James added 11 assists before resting the last 12 minutes and the Cavs finally won comfortably following two weeks of tense-and-tight games, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 109-95 on Wednesday night for their sixth straight victory... Emerging as an interior option for Cleveland, Hickson was active near the basket and went 8 of 10 from the field and made all 7 free throws in 25 minutes. Leading by 19 points after three, Cavs coach Mike Brown had the luxury of sitting James, Hickson and Shaquille O’Neal for the fourth... Corey Brewer scored 22 and Kevin Love 20 for the Timberwolves, who lacked the firepower to trade baskets with the NBA’s best team.

Gasol leads Grizzlies over Pistons, 99-93 -- The AP reports: The Detroit Pistons hung right with Memphis for 45 minutes. The last three minutes belonged to the Grizzlies. Marc Gasol scored the game’s final eight points and the Pistons missed their final eight shots as the Grizzlies posted a 99-93 victory Wednesday night... Gasol added 12 rebounds while Zach Randolph had 24 points and 13 rebounds for Memphis, which won its third straight. All five Grizzlies starters scored at least 14 points... Rodney Stuckey led Detroit with 17 points and 11 assists and Richard Hamilton added 16 points and 10 assists. The Pistons have lost three straight.

Nets beat Clippers 103-87 to end latest skid -- The AP reports: The crowd was on its feet and clapping. The players were standing near midcourt, happily waiting for the final buzzer to sound. It was like so many others Nets’ games this season, except it was the New Jersey fans cheering, the home team running out the clock and the Los Angeles Clippers walking off the court as losers. Yes, the Nets won for only the fourth time in 44 games this season and ended a 29-game losing streak against Western Conference opponents. Kris Humphries scored a career-high 25 points and the Nets avoided the worst 44-game start in NBA history with a 103-87 victory over the Clippers on Wednesday night, snapping an 11-game losing streak... Chris Kaman had 24 points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers. Craig Smith added 18 points and eight rebounds.

Bulls win 4th straight road game, return to .500 -- The AP reports: Joakim Noah considers Derrick Rose the biggest reason the Chicago Bulls have made a sudden rise back to .500. But even Rose himself didn’t see it coming, especially at the expense of four Western Conference teams with winning records. Rose scored 26 points, Noah added 13 points and 11 rebounds and the Bulls held the Oklahoma City without a field goal for the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter on their way to a 96-86 victory on Wednesday night... Luol Deng had 17 points, Brad Miller scored 14 and Tyrus Thomas had 13 points for the Bulls. Taj Gibson had 15 rebounds as Chicago—the NBA’s top rebounding team—held a 53-40 advantage on the boards.

Jennings lifts Bucks over 76ers, 91-88 -- The AP reports: The Milwaukee Bucks had run out of energy and nearly blew a 10-point lead in the closing minutes. The Philadelphia 76ers let them off the hook again and again and again. Brandon Jennings scored 18 points, hitting a 12-footer with 22 seconds left, and the Bucks held on for a 91-88 win on Wednesday night after the Sixers missed three shots to tie in the final 11 seconds. “We were clearly fatigued,” said Bucks coach Scott Skiles, whose team was outrebounded 51-35 and went 2 of 8 from the free throw line in the final 6:02... “Hopefully the basketball gods even it out and toward the end of the year we’ll start getting some more to go our way,” said Charlie Bell, who finished with 18 points.

Nuggets win eighth straight, 97-92 vs. Rockets -- The AP reports: The Denver Nuggets are learning how to win without Carmelo Anthony. J.R. Smith scored 22 points, Kenyon Martin added 12 points and 15 rebounds and the Nuggets extended their winning streak to eight games with a 97-92 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night. The Nuggets won for the second straight time without Anthony, the NBA’s second-leading scorer, who sat out with a sprained left ankle. Anthony also missed five games earlier this month with a bruised knee, and Denver won three of them... Chauncey Billups scored 21 points, Nene added 18 and Denver went 29 for 39 from the free throw line to win in Houston for just the fourth time in 16 trips... Aaron Brooks scored 22 points and Luis Scola added 20 for the Rockets, who’ve lost four of their last five home games.

Spurs win big against Hawks, but lose Parker -- The AP reports: The San Antonio Spurs snapped a three-game losing streak by blowing out one of the best teams in the league. Plenty of reason to feel good about that, but the Spurs could hardly celebrate because on the way to beating the Atlanta Hawks 105-90 on Wednesday night, Tony Parker sprained his left ankle and it’s uncertain how long he’ll be out. X-rays were negative, but it didn’t look good for San Antonio’s star point guard. “We’re going to have to adjust to it,” said Tim Duncan, who grabbed a career-high 27 rebounds and scored 21 points... Joe Johnson scored 31 and Jamal Crawford had 25 points for the Hawks, whose winning streak ended at three games. Josh Smith had 14 points and 16 rebounds.

Williams leads Jazz past Blazers, 106-95 -- The AP reports: Playing at a place where they had lost six straight games, Deron Williams and the Utah Jazz looked as if they were right at home in the Rose Garden. Williams scored 24 points and the Jazz scored 21 of the first 23 points and went to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 106-95 on Wednesday night... Kyle Korver hit four 3-pointers and scored 16 points for Utah and Ronnie Millsap had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Jazz. Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge scored 14 of his game-high 25 points during the second half. Nicolas Batum scored 16 points, all in the first half.

Hornets whip Warriors 123-110 -- The AP reports: The New Orleans Hornets have used their successful month to take hold of eighth place in the talented Western Conference, a key step for this improving franchise. Chris Paul scored 38 points to lead five New Orleans starters in double figures and the Hornets beat the Golden State Warriors 123-110 on Wednesday night for their fourth win in five games... Paul shot 14 for 19 from the field, made all nine of his free-throw tries, dished out nine assists, grabbed six rebounds and made three steals. Marcus Thornton added 18 points, David West 17 points and 12 rebounds and Emeka Okafor had 12 points and 12 boards for the Hornets, who are 11-4 in January and won three of four on this road trip... Monta Ellis returned for Golden State after missing the past two games with a sprained right ankle and had 19 points, nine assists and six rebounds—but also five turnovers. He had been averaging 30.7 points over his previous 16 outings.