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NBA Game Recaps of Thursday, Mar. 18



Anthony leads Nuggets past Hornets 93-80 -- The AP reports: Carmelo Anthony pulled down a career-best 18 rebounds to go with his 26 points in leading the Denver Nuggets past the New Orleans Hornets 93-80 Thursday night. Despite allowing a late run, it was another in a long line of fine performances by the Nuggets while the team awaits the return of defensive stalwart Kenyon Martin, who’s undergoing therapy for left knee tendinitis and rookie point guard Ty Lawson, who’s been out all month with a sprained left shoulder... Chris Andersen returned from two sprained ankles to help clog up the lanes and clean up the glass—he had 13 rebounds—as the Nuggets beat New Orleans for the second time in six nights... Nene added 20 points for the Nuggets, who improved to 14-1 at home when facing a team playing the second of back-to-back games.

Magic waste lead, then beat Heat in OT, 108-102 -- The AP reports: All five Miami Heat players were watching Vince Carter, and as he dribbled toward the lane no one was within 15 feet of Rashard Lewis. Big mistake. And the Orlando Magic’s postseason push kept rolling along. Lewis took the pass in his favorite spot near the left corner, then made the clinching 3-pointer with 28.4 seconds left as the Magic recovered from wasting a 12-point lead in the final 4:45 of regulation and beat the Heat 108-102 in overtime Thursday night... Carter finished with 27 points, Lewis scored 24 and Jameer Nelson added 15 for the Magic, including a jumper with 15.3 seconds left in regulation that sent the teams into overtime tied at 93... Dwyane Wade had 36 points and 10 rebounds for Miami, which led 100-99 with 3:09 left in overtime, then went scoreless for nearly 2 1/2 minutes. Jermaine O’Neal scored 14 and Carlos Arroyo added 11 for the Heat.

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NBA Game Recaps of Wednesday, Mar. 17



Warriors rally to beat Hornets -- The AP reports: The injury-ravaged Golden State Warriors haven’t had the luxury of slowly bringing along their NBA Development League. That’s worked well for Reggie Williams, one of five D-League players called up by Golden State this season. Williams scored 22 points, 18 in the fourth quarter, to help the Warriors overcome a 21-point deficit and beat the New Orleans Hornets 131-121 on Wednesday night... Monta Ellis had 28 points and tied his career high with 13 assists while Anthony Tolliver, another D-League callup, had a career-high 30 points for the Warriors, who tied a team record with nine 3-pointers in the fourth quarter... David West had 36 points and a season-high 15 rebounds for New Orleans, which lost for the eighth time in its last nine road games.

Bobcats beat Thunder to give Jordan first win -- The AP reports: Michael Jordan was known to play his best against the best. The team he now owns seems to fit that description, too. Hours after Jordan was approved as the first former player to be a majority owner of an NBA team, his Charlotte Bobcats continued a remarkable string of success against the better teams in the NBA, rallying from 19 points down to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 100-92 on Wednesday night. Stephen Jackson scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half, Stephen Graham matched a career high with 19 points filling in for the injured Gerald Wallace, and the Bobcats sent poor-shooting Kevin Durant and the Thunder to only their fourth loss in 21 games... Jeff Green added 17 points, and Russell Westbrook added 15 points and 10 assists, but the Thunder’s five-game winning streak was snapped.

Cavs clinch division outright, beat Pacers -- The AP reports: The Cavaliers clinched their second straight outright Central Division championship Wednesday night—and Mo Williams went home disappointed. LeBron James had 32 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in Cleveland’s 99-94 victory over the Indiana Pacers. With the win, Cleveland (54-15) became the first team this season to clinch a division title... Troy Murphy had 19 points and 15 rebounds—but just four points and five rebounds in the second half for the last-place Pacers, who were trying to win consecutive games for the first time since Feb. 2-5. Roy Hibbert added 20 points for Indiana, which was without leading scorer Danny Granger.

76ers beat Nets to snap losing streak at 5 -- The AP reports: Andre Iguodala went back to basic for the Philadelphia 76ers. Two nights after missing 17 shots, including all seven of his 3-pointers, and finishing 5 for 22 in a loss to New York, Iguodala responded in a big way this time by driving to the basket against New Jersey. Iguodala scored 20 points, Jrue Holiday added 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists and the Philadelphia snapped a five-game losing streak with a 108-97 victory over the Nets on Wednesday night... Chris Douglas-Roberts led the Nets (7-61) with 23 points, Keyon Dooling added 15 and Terrence Williams had 13. Brook Lopez and Jarvis Hayes also scored 12 apiece, and Kris Humphries had 10. New Jersey needs to win three of its last 14 games to avoid the NBA record for fewest victories set by the 1972-73 76ers when they went 9-73.

Bosh hits winner for Raptors over Hawks -- The AP reports: Chris Bosh hit a 16-foot jumper with 2.1 seconds left and the Raptors ended a five-game losing streak with a 106-105 victory over Atlanta on Wednesday night... Bosh was 6 of 19 from the field and finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds... Andrea Bargnani had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Raptors, 2-10 in their last 12 games. Jamal Crawford had a season-high 33 points for the Hawks, who had won four straight and 10 of their last 13. Al Horford had 18 points and 14 rebounds, Mike Bibby added 17 points and Maurice Evans had 16.

Pierce scores 29 points, Celtics beat Knicks -- The AP reports: Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett played their best game together in more than a month. Coach Doc Rivers would be thrilled if they can dominate consistently once the playoffs arrive. Pierce scored 29 points, Garnett had 22 and Boston cruised to its third straight lopsided victory at home, 109-97 over the New York Knicks on Wednesday night... David Lee led the Knicks with 29 points, and Al Harrington had 16... Rondo had 12 assists in just 27 minutes and tied Bob Cousy for fifth place among Celtics players for assists in one season with 642. Cousy did it in 1954-55.

Magic smother Tim Duncan to beat Spurs 110-84 -- The AP reports: Tim Duncan sat stiff and stared aimlessly on the bench watching his San Antonio Spurs get blown away in the final minutes. His movement wasn’t much better on the court. The Orlando Magic made sure of that. Vince Carter had 24 points and eight assists, and the Magic smothered Duncan to beat San Antonio 110-84 on Wednesday night... Duncan had five points and was 1 for 10 from the field in the worst shooting percentage game of his career, a big reason the Spurs lost for only the second time in their last 10 games... Rashard Lewis finished with 20 points, and J.J. Redick had 10 points to help the Magic win for the ninth time in 10 games.

Brooks hits 7 3s in Rockets’ win over Grizzlies -- The AP reports: Aaron Brooks’ perfect 3-point shooting trumped the Memphis Grizzlies’ strong inside game Wednesday night. Brooks set a Houston record by hitting seven 3-pointers without a miss and scored 31 points, and the Rockets snapped the Grizzlies’ seven-game road winning streak with a 107-94 victory. “Kind of a weird experience,” said Brooks, who went 11 for 14 from the field overall... Luis Scola scored 20 points, and Kevin Martin added 18 for the Rockets, who moved into ninth place in the Western Conference—a half-game ahead of Memphis. Houston has won four straight, its longest streak of the season... Zach Randolph had 30 points and 15 rebounds for the taller Grizzlies, who scored 64 points in the paint, a season high for a Houston opponent. The Rockets countered by going 10 for 19 from 3-point range and holding Memphis to one 3-pointer in seven attempts.

Nowitzki, Butler get Mavs back on winning track over Bulls -- The AP reports: With Jason Kidd taking the final period off, backup J.J. Barea was part of a defensive collapse that let the Chicago Bulls turn this near-rout back into a tight game. Then Barea recovered, scoring 10 straight points to help the Mavericks pull out a 113-106 victory Wednesday night... Caron Butler scored 27 points, and Dirk Nowitzki had 26 as the Mavericks won for the 14th time in 15 games. They’d tied the NBA’s longest winning streak this season with 13 straight, then ended it with a thud—a 34-point loss to New York on Saturday night... Dallas native Acie Law scored a season-high 22 points for Chicago.

Boozer leads Jazz past Timberwolves -- The AP reports: The Utah Jazz had to keep up with the surprising Minnesota Timberwolves early. By the second half, the Timberwolves had run out of surprises and energy and Utah coasted to a 122-100 victory Wednesday night. “We kept getting stops. We kept moving the ball offensively, getting rebounds and running,” said Carlos Boozer, who had 19 points and 11 rebounds for his 45th double-double of the season. “Next thing you know it went from a close game to a not-so close game and the game was over.” ... Al Jefferson and Corey Brewer had 17 points apiece to lead Minnesota, which was outrebounded 20-12 in the second half.

Kaman helps Clippers beat Bucks -- The AP reports: So much for form. The Los Angeles Clippers had lost eight straight games, and the Milwaukee Bucks had won six in a row and 12 of 13. But with scoring depth and some strategic use of a zone defense the Clippers ended both streaks, beating the Bucks 101-93 on Wednesday night. Chris Kaman had 20 points and seven rebounds for Los Angeles. Brandon Jennings led Milwaukee with 21 points, 16 of them during the quarter. Milwaukee closed that period with an 18-2 run, erasing a 16-point Clippers lead to go up 74-72.

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NBA Game Recaps of Tuesday, Mar. 16



Sharpshooting Suns rout reeling Minnesota 152-114 -- The AP reports: Jason Richardson scored 27 points and Amare Stoudemire 25, then sat with the rest of the Phoenix starters while the Suns’ reserves finished off a 152-114 rout of Minnesota on Monday night in the highest-scoring game by an NBA team this season. Lou Amundson matched his career high with 20 points as Phoenix sent the Timberwolves to their 10th straight loss and 16th in the last 17 games. The Suns, with eight players in double figures, shot 56 percent from the field and 15 of 31 from 3-point range to win their ninth in 12 games... Corey Brewer scored 21 for the Timberwolves, who set a franchise record for most points allowed in a game.

Bobcats streak ends at 6; Pacers win 99-94 -- The AP reports: The Bobcats were trying for a franchise-record seventh straight victory, but they played their fifth game in eight days on Tuesday. All-Star forward Gerald Wallace missed his second consecutive game with an injured left ankle and Indiana took advantage with a 99-94 victory... Stephen Jackson, who led Charlotte with 20 points, wouldn’t use the team’s busy schedule as an excuse for losing to a team that entered the night 22 games under .500... Danny Granger scored 26 points for the Pacers, but he left the game in the final minute after taking a hit. Pacers coach Jim O’Brien said his top scorer is out for Wednesday’s game at Cleveland... Troy Murphy had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and Mike Dunleavy added 15 points for Indiana, which had lost 14 of its previous 17 games.

Crawford’s big 2nd quarter leads Hawks over Nets -- The AP reports: Jamal Crawford had one of those second quarters that made it a lot easier for the Atlanta Hawks to play without Joe Johnson for the first time this season. Crawford hit a 30-footer at the buzzer to cap his game-breaking, 15-point period and the Hawks ran away from the woeful New Jersey Nets, 108-84 on Tuesday night. Crawford, the NBA scoring leader (17.5) among players who have not started a game, finished with 25 points in leading Atlanta to its third straight win and ninth in 12 games... Marvin Williams added 15 points for the Hawks, who rolled while Johnson stayed home to rest his Achilles’ tendinitis. He will be re-evaluated on Thursday. Horford finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds... Lopez had 21 points for the Nets, who lost for the 60th time in 67 games... Josh Boone had a season-high 13 points and a career-best 20 rebounds as New Jersey lost its 12th straight at home, extending the team mark.

Cavs top Pistons 113-101, LeBron has triple-double -- The AP reports: LeBron James had 29 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists for his fourth triple-double of the season, lifting the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 113-101 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night... The final score was relatively lopsided, but the game wasn’t. There were 10 lead changes and 21 ties, the last one with 4:44 left... Mo Williams finished with 20 points, Antawn Jamison had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and reserve Jawad Williams added 10 points. James missed 10-of-15 shots over the first three quarters and was 5 for 7 in the final one as he added four assists and three rebounds to his total for his 28th career triple-double.Richard Hamilton had 24 points and was one of six Pistons who scored in double figures.

Ginobili gets 22, Spurs hang on to beat Heat 88-76 -- The AP reports: Manu Ginobili scored 22 points, none bigger than a tide-turning 3-pointer with 7:58 left, and the surging Spurs wasted most of a 25-point, third-quarter lead before beating the Heat 88-76 on Tuesday night, San Antonio’s eighth win in its last nine games... George Hill scored 16 points, Richard Jefferson added 15 and Tim Duncan had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs, who are 4-1 since point guard Tony Parker broke his right hand. The win ensured San Antonio would end the night no worse than No. 7 in the Western Conference standings... Dwyane Wade scored 28 points for Miami, which lost for the first time in its last seven home games. Jermaine O’Neal added 13 points and Udonis Haslem finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Heat, who missed a chance to move past Charlotte for the No. 6 spot in the East race. Charlotte lost at Indiana.

Grizzlies extend undermanned Bulls’ skid to 8 -- The AP reports: The Chicago Bulls—what’s left of them—are slipping further away from the last Eastern Conference playoff spot. Undermanned because of injuries and a suspension, the Bulls dropped their eighth straight Tuesday night, as O.J. Mayo scored 24 points in the Memphis Grizzlies’ 104-97 victory. Mayo connected on 8-of-12 shots from the field, including going 4 of 5 from 3-point range, as six Grizzlies finished in double figures. Mike Conley had 19 points and 10 assists, while Zach Randolph added 18 points and 12 rebounds. Rudy Gay had 12 points, and Marcus Williams and Hasheem Thabeet finished with 10 apiece. Thabeet grabbed nine rebounds... Flip Murray scored 25 points for the Bulls, while Hakim Warrick came off the bench for 22, including 10 in the fourth as the Bulls made a run. Acie Law finished with a season-high 18 points, while Jannero Pargo had 12. Brad Miller had 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Nuggets beat Wizards as ailing Karl returns -- The AP reports: Nuggets coach George Karl fought through intensifying cancer treatments to return to the bench after a weeklong absence, and his players rewarded him with what Karl had told them would be the best possible medicine: a win. Carmelo Anthony scored 29 points to go with 12 rebounds, J.R. Smith scored 13 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, and the Nuggets pulled away for a 97-87 victory Tuesday night over the Washington Wizards... Andray Blatche led the Wizards with 23 points but left the game after twisting his ankle with about 5:40 remaining... Al Thornton had 16 and Alonzo Gee added 13 for the Wizards, who have lost nine straight games for the first time since Jan. 4-19, 2001.

Bryant leads Lakers over Kings 106-99 -- The AP reports: The Los Angeles Lakers have put their three-game hiccup behind them and are closing in on their playoff form. Kobe Bryant scored 30 points, Pau Gasol added 28 points and 11 rebounds, and the Lakers completed a sweep of their Northern California swing with a 106-99 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night... Andrew Bynum added 21 points and 12 rebounds, and the Lakers finished with 60 points in the paint to remain four games ahead of Denver for the best record in the Western Conference. Gasol and Bynum combined to make 21-of-28 shots... Rookie Tyreke Evans had 25 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists for the Kings, narrowly missing his second career triple-double.

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NBA Game Recaps of Monday, Mar. 15



Brooks, Scola rally Rockets past Nuggets -- The AP reports: Don’t tell the Houston Rockets they are out of the playoff picture just yet. Aaron Brooks swished a jumper with 2.9 seconds left and scored 31 points to help the Rockets rally for a 125-123 victory over Denver on Monday night, snapping the Nuggets’ six-game winning streak. Carmelo Anthony scored 45 points for the Nuggets, but missed a 3-point try at the buzzer. Luis Scola grabbed the final rebound and finished with 23 points and 11 boards... Kevin Martin scored 29 points for Houston. Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith added 17 apiece for the Nuggets. The Nuggets led 104-93 with 10 minutes left in the game after trailing by as much as 16 in the first half. Battier’s corner 3 with 8:05 left capped a 7-0 spurt to draw the Rockets within four.

Knicks win second straight on road, beat 76ers -- The AP reports: Toney Douglas is making a strong case to remain in the starting lineup. The rookie guard from Florida State had a solid all-around effort for the second consecutive game, and the New York Knicks won both of them. Danilo Gallinari scored 21 points, Douglas added 20 and the Knicks won their second straight on the road by rallying past the struggling Philadelphia 76ers, 94-84 on Monday night. Al Harrington contributed 15, Tracy McGrady scored 14 and Wilson Chandler had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Knicks (24-43), who snapped the Dallas Mavericks’ 13-game win streak with a convincing 128-94 victory last Saturday... Jrue Holiday scored 18 points, Willie Green added 17 and Andre Iguodala had 14 points and a career-high 17 rebounds for the Sixers (23-44), who have dropped five in a row and 10 of their last 11. The Sixers are just 10-22 at home. Samuel Dalembert had 11 points and 18 rebounds for Philadelphia.

Celtics coast to 119-93 victory over Pistons -- The AP reports: Doc Rivers knows the current Celtics aren’t as good as the team that won the NBA title in 2008. His goal is to have them playing that way again in time for the playoffs. “It’s coming around,” Rivers said Monday night after Paul Pierce scored 12 points in the first quarter to set up a 119-93 victory over the Detroit Pistons. “It’s still not there, but that was great to see. He looked explosive. I think he’s getting closer, and our team’s getting closer.” Pierce finished with 15 points in 17 minutes, Ray Allen and Michael Finley each scored 15 and Kevin Garnett had 14 points and eight rebounds... Will Bynum had 16 points and seven assists, and Jason Maxiell had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Pistons, who lost their second straight game and their ninth out of 11.

Jazz rout Wizards to end 2-game losing streak -- The AP reports: Playing their fifth game in seven days, the Utah Jazz got a much-needed respite in the form of the struggling Washington Wizards. Carlos Boozer scored 23 points, and Deron Williams notched his 35th double-double of the season before both starters rested the entire fourth quarter of a 112-89 victory Monday night... Williams finished with 17 points and 11 assists, and keyed a 17-6 run at the start of the third quarter as the Jazz turned the game into a route and ended a two-game losing streak... Andray Blatche scored 24 points and Mike Miller added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Wizards, who shot 36.9 percent from the field and lost their eighth straight game.

Hornets beat cold-shooting Clippers 108-100 -- The AP reports: Emeka Okafor did a number on Chris Kaman in the low post at both ends of the court, keeping the 7-foot center’s numbers down and keeping the New Orleans Hornets in the game long enough to pull out a victory. Okafor, the only player to start all 68 games for the injury-depleted Hornets, had 14 rebounds and 12 points to help them beat the Los Angeles Clippers 108-100 on Monday night. The victory snapped a seven-game road losing streak and completed a four-game season sweep... David West scored 24 points to help New Orleans notch its 13th straight victory over the Clippers since a 100-90 loss on Jan. 8, 2007, in Oklahoma City, which was the Hornets’ temporary home for one season because of the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.

Lakers beat Warriors 9th straight time, 124-121 -- The AP reports: Kobe Bryant is happy to be done with the Golden State Warriors so the Los Angeles Lakers can prepare for what they might actually see come playoff time next month. Bryant scored 29 points and the Lakers dominated the boards to overcome a turnover-plagued night and beat the Warriors for the ninth straight time, 124-121 on Monday night... Pau Gasol scored 26 points, Andrew Bynum added 19 points and 14 rebounds, and Lamar Odom had 17 points and 12 boards for the Lakers, who have won three straight following their first three-game losing streak in more than two years... Stephen Curry scored 29 points for the Warriors, who have lost seven of eight. Coach Don Nelson remained six wins shy of breaking Lenny Wilkens’ record mark of 1,337.

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NBA Game Recaps of Sunday, Mar. 14



Wade scores 38 to help Heat beat 76ers 104-91 -- The AP reports: Dwyane Wade was the first player off the bench, greeting teammates with hand slaps, fist bumps and a grin. The celebration came after Wade’s supporting cast came through during a decisive stretch to start the fourth quarter Sunday, helping the Miami Heat beat the Philadelphia 76ers 104-91... Jones scored 14 and Udonis Haslem had 13 points and 12 rebounds off the Miami bench. Carlos Arroyo had a season-high 10 assists, 12 points and no turnovers.

Bucks grab 6th straight win, 98-94 over Pacers -- The AP reports: Scott Skiles warned the Milwaukee Bucks about not taking the Indiana Pacers for granted. The team listened just well enough. Jerry Stackhouse tied his season high with 20 points and the Bucks survived a late rally from the short-handed Indiana Pacers for a 98-94 victory Sunday, their sixth straight win. Skiles earlier Sunday called this a “trap game,” before the Bucks closed out a strong week at home that included wins over Cleveland (without LeBron James), Boston and Utah... Andrew Bogut added 17 points and 12 rebounds, and John Salmons had 12 points for the Bucks, who won their 12th of the last 13... Danny Granger scored 14 of his 29 points in the third quarter. Indiana was without point guard T.J. Ford and swingman Mike Dunleavy. Ford is expected to miss seven to 10 days with a sore left groin and Dunleavy is day-to-day with a right eye contusion.

LeBron scores 30 as Cavs beat Celtics 104-93 -- The AP reports: LeBron James scored 30 points, 24 in the second half, and Cleveland wore down the aging Boston Celtics for a 104-93 victory on Sunday, the Cavaliers’ second decisive win over one of the East’s premier teams in less than a month. The Cavaliers were closer to full strength with the return of forward Antawn Jamison, who had 15 points and 12 rebounds after missing one game with a sore knee. Anderson Varejao had 17 points and 10 boards... Ray Allen scored 20, while Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett had 18 apiece for the Celtics... Rajon Rondo had 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Celtics.

Jackson’s 28 points help Bobcats upset Magic -- The AP reports: Stephen Jackson scored 28 points, Raymond Felton had 16 and the Bobcats held on to tie a franchise record with their sixth straight victory, 96-89 over the Magic on Sunday night.. Stephen Graham added 12 points to help the Bobcats pull away with a late 12-3 run for their first win in four chances this season against the Southeast Division leader. And they did it without All-Star Gerald Wallace, out with an injured left ankle... Dwight Howard had 27 points and 16 rebounds, and Vince Carter finished with 23 points for the Magic, who had their eight-game winning streak snapped. Mickael Pietrus added 20 points in place of injured starter Matt Barnes, sidelined with a sprained left big toe.

Thunder beat Jazz 119-111 to tighten playoff race -- The AP reports: With starters Mehmet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko out with injuries, the Utah Jazz have lost back-to-back games for the first time in more than two months. That small stumble provided a window just big enough for the red-hot Oklahoma City Thunder to be nipping at their heels to take away home-court advantage in the playoffs. Kevin Durant scored 35 points, Russell Westbrook added 30 points and 11 assists, and the Thunder closed within a half-game of the fourth-place Jazz in the Western Conference standings with a 119-111 victory Sunday night... Wesley Matthews hit six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 29 points for the Jazz, who hadn’t lost consecutive games since a three-game skid that ended Jan. 4. Deron Williams had 27 points and 14 assists, and Carlos Boozer had 18 points and 11 rebounds for Utah.

Nash plays 1,000th game, Suns beat Hornets 120-106 -- The AP reports: Steve Nash had 13 points and 12 assists in his 1,000th NBA game and his favorite receiver Amare Stoudemire had a dominant 36-point, 12-rebound performance in the Phoenix Suns’ 120-106 victory over the depleted New Orleans Hornets on Sunday night. Nash, in his 14th NBA season, became the 10th active player in the league to reach the 1,000-game milestone... The Hornets, with only eight players in uniform for the second game in a row, have lost nine of 11. Marcus Thornton scored 28 points and David West scored 24 for New Orleans. Jason Richardson scored 20 for Phoenix, including a breakaway, 360-degree spinning dunk in the fourth quarter. Jared Dudley added 13 points as the Suns shot 57 percent.

Evans just misses another triple-double, Kings beat Wolves -- The AP reports: Rookie Tyreke Evans had 29 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds to lead the Sacramento Kings to a 114-100 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night. Evans, who recorded his first career triple-double Wednesday against Toronto, scored 24 points in the opening half to help Sacramento assume a 64-49 lead. The Kings scored 15 unanswered points in the first five minutes of the third quarter, including 11 from streaky-shooting Donte Greene, to push the lead to 30. Greene had 19 points and eight rebounds, helping the Kings avoid their fifth loss in six games. Jason Thompson had 15 points and eight rebounds, Carl Landry scored 13 points and Andres Nocioni had 12. Al Jefferson had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have lost nine straight.

Batum, Aldridge each score 22 in Blazers win over Raptors -- The AP reports: Nicolas Batum scored 22 points, making five of six 3-point attempts, and the Portland Trail Blazers won their fourth straight with a 109-98 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night. LaMarcus Aldridge added 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Blazers, who have won nine of 11. Brandon Roy had 20 points. Chris Bosh had 28 points and seven rebounds for the Raptors, who have lost five straight, matching a season high. The Blazers led by as many as 15 points, but Andrea Bargnani hit a pair of free throws that pulled the Raptors within four before Sonny Weems’ long jumper made it 93-91 with 6:15 left.

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NBA Game Recaps of Saturday, Mar. 13



Scola carries Rockets past Nets -- The AP reports: Luis Scola finished with a career-high 44 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and the Houston Rockets beat the Nets 116-108 to keep their fading playoff hopes alive. Scola hit 20 of 25 shots, many of them open layups, and reached the highest point total by a Rockets player since Tracy McGrady scored 47 against Utah in November 2007... Kevin Martin scored 20, Aaron Brooks added 18 points and seven assists and Houston strung together consecutive victories for the first time since early February... Courtney Lee scored 24 and Brook Lopez added 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Nets, who finished a five-game road trip with four straight losses.

Magic win 8th straight 109-95; Wizards skid hits 7 -- The AP reports: J.J. Redick led the Magic in plus-minus, his team outscoring the opponent by 21 points while he was on the floor, part of another solid bench effort in Orlando’s 109-95 victory Saturday over the worn-down, back-to-back-to-back Washington Wizards. Dwight Howard had 28 points and 15 rebounds, but it was Redick (18 points), Brandon Bass (16 points, nine rebounds), Mickael Pietrus and Jason Williams who led the rally when the Magic found themselves trailing by 15 in the second quarter... Andray Blatche scored 32 points for the Wizards, who lost their season-high seventh straight game. Washington wrapped up a stretch of three games in three nights with a road trip in the middle, a rare scheduling quirk caused when a game was postponed by a February blizzard... Shaun Livingston had 18 points and eight assists off the bench for the Wizards, who aren’t getting any kind of break in the schedule.

Johnson’s 26 power Hawks past Pistons, 112-99 -- The AP reports: Joe Johnson scored 26 points and the Hawks had their best shooting game of the season but still had to hold off Detroit’s late comeback to beat the Pistons 112-99 on Saturday night. The Hawks took a 28-point lead in the second quarter but suffered a second-half letdown. Atlanta kept its lead in double figures from the 7:17 mark of the opening quarter until Detroit’s Ben Gordon scored with 6:45 remaining to cut the lead to 96-87... Jamal Crawford had 17 points and Horford added 15 for the Hawks. Pistons coach John Kuester said the Hawks “know how to turn it on when they have to.” Jason Maxiell led Detroit with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Richard Hamilton had 18 points for the Pistons, who have lost eight of 10.

Smith scores 30 in Nuggets’ win over Grizzlies -- The AP reports: In what some Nuggets players called their best fourth quarter of the season, Denver outscored Memphis 40-23, rallying to beat the Grizzlies 125-108 Saturday night... J.R. Smith was a key factor, scoring 19 of his 30 points in the second half. Sixteen of those points came in the final period when the Nuggets turned a close game into a rout. Smith was 11 of 16 from the field, including 7 for 10 on 3-pointers, to help the Nuggets win their sixth straight... Carmelo Anthony finished with 24 points and Chauncey Billups added 22 for Denver. .. O.J. Mayo led Memphis with 25 points, while Zach Randolph had 22 points and 12 rebounds. Marc Gasol scored 17 points, Marcus Williams added 13 and Rudy Gay 12.

Spurs beat Clippers for 16th straight time -- The AP reports: George Hill had 14 points and a career-high 11 assists to help the Spurs beat the Los Angeles Clippers for the 16th straight time, 118-88 Saturday night. With the Spurs up by 25 midway through the fourth quarter, coach Gregg Popovich called timeout and handed the clipboard to Hill, who had exited the game for good with 2:41 left in the third... Matt Bonner scored 21 points on 8-for-9 shooting to lead the Spurs, who have the longest winning streak by one team against another. Richard Jefferson added 18 points and nine rebounds... Baron Davis scored 18 of his team-high 22 points in the first half for the Clippers, who last defeated the Spurs in March 2006. The loss was Los Angeles’ 15th straight in San Antonio, dating back to January 2002.

Knicks end Mavericks’ 13-game win streak, 128-94 -- The AP reports: The Dallas Mavericks had the most lopsided victory in franchise history when they beat the New York Knicks by 50 points in the teams’ last meeting nearly two months ago. This time, it was the Knicks’ turn for a rout. Bill Walker scored a career-high 23 points, Wilson Chandler added 22 and New York snapped the Mavericks’ 13-game winning streak with a 128-94 victory on Saturday night... Rookie Toney Douglas had 21 points, and David Lee contributed 15 points and 14 rebounds for the Knicks, who’d lost 14 of their previous 17 and nine straight in Dallas... Dirk Nowitzki had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Jason Kidd added 15 points for Dallas, which won 128-78 at New York on Jan. 24 and hadn’t lost since Feb. 16.

Warriors hand reeling Raptors fourth straight loss -- The AP reports: In a brief three-minute conversation with reporters following a 124-112 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night, Bosh criticized his teammates and himself and said he’s out of explanations for Toronto’s slide that has the Raptors on the fringe of missing the postseason. “It’s like if you look at the schedule right now and see Toronto, I’m sure people are checking something in the win box,” said Bosh, who had 24 points and 11 rebounds in the loss... Stephen Curry had 35 points and 10 assists for the Warriors while Monta Ellis scored 31 in his second game back following a back injury... Jose Calderon had 24 points and 12 assists for Toronto, which trailed by as much as 15 in the matchup of two of the NBA’s highest-scoring teams.

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NBA Game Recaps of Friday, Mar. 12



Anthony leads Nuggets past Hornets 102-95 -- The AP reports: Carmelo Anthony scored 12 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter and grabbed 12 rebounds, and the Denver Nuggets extended their winning streak to five with a 102-95 victory over the New Orleans Hornets on Friday night... Chauncey Billups scored 21 points for Denver, which finished with a flourish to break open an 86-all tie with 6:05 to go. Anthony was 5 of 7 shooting and made both of his free throws in the final quarter... Nene added 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Johan Petro had 10 points and 10 rebounds for Denver, which pulled two games ahead of Utah—losers to Milwaukee — for first place in the Northwest Division. David West scored 30 points for New Orleans, which has dropped eight of 10 games as its slim playoff hopes continued to evaporate. Hornets rookies Marcus Thornton and Darren Collison added 23 and 17 points, respectively, and Julian Wright scored 13 points.

Bobcats beat Clippers for 5th straight win -- The AP reports: In past seasons, when Charlotte Bobcats All-Star forward Gerald Wallace went out with an injury, the whole team struggled. Teammate Stephen Jackson said this team is different, as shown by the Bobcats’ 106-98 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. “This was a game we needed to win,” said Jackson, who scored 24 points... Boris Diaw added 16 points, Tyson Chandler 13 and Raymond Felton had 10 points and 11 assists for the Bobcats, who won their fifth straight. They shot 54 percent from the field and forced the Clippers into 23 turnovers as they chase the first playoff berth in franchise history.

LeBron returns with 23, leads Cavs over Sixers -- The AP reports: A six-day layoff may have limited King James’ conditioning, but not his skills. Any concern over LeBron James’ ankle was alleviated in the first few minutes. James had 23 points, 10 assists and six rebounds in his return from a two-game absence, and the Cleveland Cavaliers won for the 14th time in their last 19 road games with a 100-95 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night... Mo Williams added 21 points, Delonte West contributed 17 and Varejao had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Cavaliers (51-15), who own the league’s best record. Cleveland also won for the seventh straight time at the Wachovia Center... Andre Iguodala led the Sixers (23-42) with 30 points, Elton Brand added 24 and Thaddeus Young had 15. Samuel Dalembert grabbed 12 rebounds for Philadelphia, which dropped its third in a row and fell to 10-21 at home.

Pierce hits 20 in 3 quarters as Celtics coast -- The AP reports: The Boston Celtics went home after their last loss with the boos of the hometown fans still ringing in their ears. When they got together on Friday morning, they had plenty to talk about. “We really had a heart-to-heart this morning,” Celtics captain Paul Pierce said after scoring 20 points in three quarters to help Boston snap a two-game losing streak and beat the Indiana Pacers 122-103... Rajon Rondo had 16 points and 11 assists before joining the rest of the Celtics starters on the bench for the fourth quarter as the Celtics played their third game in four nights. .. Roy Hibbert scored 23, and Troy Murphy had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers, who have won just once in their last six games, twice in their last 10 and three times in their last 15. Starting point guard T.J. Ford left with 7:33 remaining in the first quarter due to a sore left groin and did not return.

Heat pull away from reeling Bulls, 108-95 -- The AP reports: Jermaine O’Neal scored a season-high 25 points, Quentin Richardson added 23 and the Miami Heat beat a Chicago team playing without its three top scorers 108-95—not only sending the Bulls to their seventh straight loss, but sending their emotions boiling over as well... Wade scored 17 of his 22 points in the second half for Miami, which extended its season-best home winning streak to five games and passed idle Toronto for the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference... James Johnson and Jannero Pargo each scored 20 for Chicago, which lost its seventh straight and played without Derrick Rose (sprained left wrist), Luol Deng (strained right calf) and Joakim Noah (plantar fasciitis in left foot).

R. Jefferson, Hill lead Spurs over Timberwolves -- The AP reports: Manu Ginobili only played 28 minutes, Tim Duncan only 25 and Tony Parker didn’t play at all. Yet the San Antonio Spurs were still way too much for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who seem to sink lower and lower each time they take the court. Richard Jefferson had 19 points, nine rebounds and three assists in his first start in seven games to help the Spurs to a 103-85 victory over the Timberwolves on Friday night. George Hill had 19 points and eight assists and Duncan had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Spurs, who have won six of their last seven games, including two of three without the injured Parker.

Bynum’s 20 assists leads Pistons over Wizards -- The AP reports: Will Bynum knew early on that Friday could be a big night for him. The Detroit Pistons point guard, playing in place of Rodney Stuckey, had eight assists in the first quarter against Washington and decided he was going for the record book... Thanks to Ben Gordon’s long jumper with 3.2 seconds left, Bynum finished with a career-high 20 assists, the most by a Piston since Isiah Thomas had 21 against Washington on April 12, 1985... Andray Blatche led the Wizards with 23 points, but JaVale McGee finished with just four points and four rebounds.

Grizzlies build huge lead, hold off Knicks -- The AP reports: A 29-point lead was just enough for the Memphis Grizzlies to claim their third straight victory. But the New York Knicks sure made it interesting down the stretch, cutting the advantage to five in the final minute before falling 119-112 on Friday night. Memphis held its 29-point lead with 3:19 left in the third quarter. The Knicks pulled within 115-110 in the final minute before losing for fourth time in five games... Zach Randolph led Memphis with 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Rudy Gay added 20 points. Mike Conley had 18 points, Sam Young finished with 13, and Marc Gasol added 12 points and nine rebounds. Bill Walker had 21 points, including 12 during New York’s fourth-quarter rally. Toney Douglas added 19, also scoring a dozen in the fourth, while David Lee finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds.

Durant sets franchise mark for 30-point games -- The AP reports: Kevin Durant scored 32 points, surpassing 30 for a franchise-best 36th time this season, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 104-102 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Friday night... Westbrook finished with 11 points and 10 assists, while Nick Collison came off the bench to add 10 points and nine rebounds. Former Nets center Nenad Krstic scored 10 points for the Thunder. Devin Harris scored 19 points for New Jersey and Jarvis Hayes added 16. Keyon Dooling finished with 15 points off the bench, including nine straight for the Nets in the second quarter.

Bucks keep rolling with 95-87 win over Jazz -- The AP reports: Suddenly, the Milwaukee Bucks are the type of team that can leave Carlos Boozer and the Utah Jazz crying foul. Ersan Ilyasova scored on a putback with 27.2 seconds remaining for the lead and the Bucks held on to beat the Utah Jazz 95-87 on Friday, knocking off their third NBA powerhouse team in a row. John Salmons had 24 points and Brandon Jennings added 23 for the Bucks, who have won five straight games and 11 of their last 12—including home wins over Eastern Conference forces Cleveland and Boston in the past week, although the Cavaliers were resting LeBron James... Boozer had 26 points and 14 rebounds, but was ejected after being assessed a pair of technical fouls arguing a no-call on what he thought was a foul with 13.4 seconds left.

Lakers used balanced effort to beat Suns 102-96 -- The AP reports: There was no one-man show for the Los Angeles Lakers this time. Kobe Bryant got plenty of help in an intense 102-96 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. All five Lakers starters scored at least 15, led by Bryant’s 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists—along with seven turnovers. The Suns rallied from 15 down in the second half and led briefly early in the fourth quarter before the Lakers pulled ahead for good... Amare Stoudemire had 29 points and 16 rebounds for the Suns, playing for the first time in six days. Phoenix was without Channing Frye, suspended for his part in an altercation against the Indiana Pacers the last time the Suns played.

Roy, Blazers beat Kings for 3rd straight win -- The AP reports: Brandon Roy is starting to feel good again, one reason why recent opponents have been left feeling badly after facing the Portland Trail Blazers. Back in a groove after missing considerable time with a hamstring injury, Roy scored 28 points on Friday night for the Blazers, who led practically from start to finish in beating the Sacramento Kings 110-94 for their third straight victory... LaMarcus Aldridge scored 18 points, Andre Miller had 15 and Nicolas Batum added 11 for Portland, which never let the lead dip close to single digits in an uninspired fourth quarter by both teams... Carl Landry had 18 points and Francisco Garcia scored 17 for the Kings, who committed 20 turnovers and have dropped four of five. Jason Thompson scored 15 points and Beno Udrih had 13.

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NBA Game Recaps of Thursday, Mar. 11



Blazers rally to beat Warriors 110-105 -- The AP reports: Brandon Roy’s first career win at Oracle Arena couldn’t have come at a better time for Portland as it tries to hang on to the eighth spot in the Western Conference. Roy scored 41 points, Andre Miller added 15 points and seven assists and the Trail Blazers overcame a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Golden State Warriors 110-105 on Thursday night... Corey Maggette scored 24 points and Monta Ellis added 17 before fouling out in his first game back following a six-game absence for Golden State, which lost its sixth straight.

Crawford scores 29, Hawks beat Wizards 105-99 -- The AP reports: As he sits on the bench at the start of each game, Jamal Crawford analyzes the opposition, the defenses they are employing, and the flow of the game. The Atlanta Hawks are sure glad their sixth-man extraordinaire is a quick study. Crawford scored 29 points and the Hawks avoided a three-game losing streak by beating the Washington Wizards 105-99 Thursday night... Horford and Joe Johnson each scored 18 points in Atlanta’s first trip to the nation’s capital this season for the makeup of a game that was postponed Feb. 6 due to a blizzard which left 2 feet of snow in the area. Andray Blatche had 30 points and 10 rebounds for Washington, in the midst of a stretch of three games in three nights because of the schedule change. The Wizards have lost five straight and seven of eight.

Magic roll past Bulls 111-82 as Rose sprains wrist -- The AP reports: Dwight Howard went up. Derrick Rose went down. Two teams continued to head in opposite directions. Vince Carter had 23 points to help the Magic pull away early and cruise past the injured Bulls, 111-82 on Thursday night for a season-high seventh straight win. Matt Barnes added 14 points, and reserve Brandon Bass scored 13 in another blowout victory against a struggling team for the Magic... Rose sprained his left wrist in the midair collision with Howard in the first quarter and didn’t return for the Bulls, the latest setback in a season that’s quickly going sour.

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NBA Game Recaps of Wednesday, Mar. 10



Bobcats pound 76ers for 4th straight victory -- The AP reports: Gerald Wallace scored 28 points on 9-for-10 shooting from the field, Stephen Jackson added 24 points and 10 rebounds, and the Bobcats won their fourth straight game with a 102-87 victory over the reeling Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night... Boris Diaw contributed 13 points for the Bobcats (32-31), who entered the game in seventh place in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Bobcats improved to just 9-23 on the road... Rodney Carney led the Sixers with 14 points. Andre Iguodala and Jrue Holiday each added 13 for Philadelphia, which fell to 23-41 and 10-20 at the Wachovia Center.

Williams leads high-scoring Jazz over Pistons -- The AP reports: A night after putting up 132 points in a rout of Chicago, Sloan’s Utah Jazz put on another offensive show, beating the Detroit Pistons 115-104 on Wednesday. But the coach wasn’t happy with the defense... Deron Williams, who is 9-0 in his career against Detroit, led seven Utah players in double figures with 18 points and 12 assists... Former Pistons center Mehmet Okur finished with 18 points, and Carlos Boozer had 11 points and 12 rebounds. Detroit also had seven players score at least 10 points, led by Charlie Villanueva’s 19, but couldn’t avoid its seventh loss in eight games.

Grizzlies beat Celtics for 1st time since ’06 -- The AP reports: Rudy Gay scored 28 points on Wednesday night to lead Memphis to a 111-91 victory over the Celtics and give the Grizzlies a franchise-record seventh straight road win. The previous six were against non-contenders, but this was Memphis’ first victory over the Celtics in seven tries... O.J. Mayo scored 17 points and Zach Randolph had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Memphis. Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo scored 17 points apiece, and Rondo added eight assists for the Celtics. It matched Boston’s worst loss of the season, tying a 20-point loss to Cleveland last month that was the worst loss for the Celtics with Kevin Garnett in the lineup.

Heat get 27 from Wade, hold off Clippers 108-97 -- The AP reports: Dwyane Wade had 27 points and eight assists, Jermaine O’Neal finished with 19 points and nine rebounds, and the Heat extended their longest home winning streak of the season to four games by beating Los Angeles 108-97—meaning they’ll be no worse than tied with Chicago for the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot when the Bulls visit on Friday... Former Heat forward Rasual Butler scored 31 points, two off his career best, for the Clippers, who lost their fifth straight. Chris Kaman scored 16, Steve Blake added 12 and Baron Davis scored 10 for the Clippers, now 2-20 on the road since Dec. 19.

Thunder eases past injury-depleted Hornets 98-83 -- The AP reports: Since point guard Chris Paul went out with a knee injury, rookie Darren Collison has been able to duplicate the All-Star’s production against just about anyone the New Orleans Hornets play. Just not the Oklahoma City Thunder. Kevin Durant scored 29 points, Russell Westbrook added 17 points and came up just shy of a triple-double, and the Thunder beat injury-depleted New Orleans 98-83 on Wednesday night. Collison, who was held to eight points, has scored in double figures in all but two of the 27 games he’s started in place of Paul—both meetings against the Thunder... David West scored 33 for the Hornets, who recorded their highest total of the season two days earlier in a 135-131 shootout win against Golden State, but struggled to get anything going except when their power forward had the ball.

Anthony gets help in Denver’s win over Wolves -- The AP reports: Chauncey Billups scored 25 points and got a huge lift from role players Smith, Chris Andersen and Nene in the Nuggets’ 110-102 victory over the Timberwolves on Wednesday night... Andersen had 14 points and 10 rebounds, Nene had 17 points and nine boards and Smith scored 15 to shake the Nuggets out a first-half funk and deliver their fourth straight win. Al Jefferson had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who lost their seventh straight game and 13th in the last 14. Minnesota has won once since Feb. 6... Corey Brewer scored 21 points, but the Timberwolves shot 39 percent, which negated a 53-43 advantage on the boards.

Knicks set franchise losing record against Spurs -- The AP reports: Losing Tony Parker hurt, just like when Manu Ginobili went down around this time last season. Parker picked up the slack then. Ginobili is doing the same so far. Ginobili scored 28 points and the San Antonio Spurs won for the fifth time in six games with a 97-87 victory over the New York Knicks, who guaranteed themselves a franchise-record ninth consecutive losing season... David Lee led New York with 21 points and 10 rebounds. The Knicks (22-42) haven’t finished with a winning record since 2001. They can take some comfort in this season likely not being their worst, since New York needs just two wins to surpass its 23 victories in 2005-06 and 2007-08.

Mavericks beat Nets for 13th straight victory -- The AP reports: Jason Kidd had 20 points and nine assists, Caron Butler added 16 points, and the Dallas Mavericks recovered from a lethargic start to match the NBA’s longest winning streak this season with their 13th straight victory, 96-87 over the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday night. Rookie Roddy Beaubois’ 16 points and Shawn Marion’s 14 points and 13 rebounds helped the Mavericks equal Cleveland’s winning streak from Jan. 10-Feb. 11... Former Mavericks guard Devin Harris scored 21 points and Terrence Williams had 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Nets, who’ve lost nine of their last 11 and fell to 7-57.

Evans’ 1st triple-double leads Kings past Raptors -- The AP reports: Tyreke Evans recorded his first career triple-double with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, leading the Sacramento Kings to a 113-90 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night... Beno Udrih had 24 points and eight assists, and Carl Landry and Donte Greene both scored 15 points for the Kings, who scored 43 points in the third quarter and snapped a three-game losing streak. Andrea Bargnani scored 20 points for the Raptors, who have lost three straight and seven of eight games. Chris Bosh, DeMar DeRozan and Jarrett Jack all had 14 points.