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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.

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NBA Game Recaps of Tuesday, Mar. 9



Lakers snap 3-game skid on Bryant’s late jumper -- The AP reports: Kobe Bryant hit a 17-foot jumper with 1.9 seconds left, and the Lakers rallied in the fourth quarter to snap their three-game losing streak with a 109-107 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night. Chris Bosh hit a 3-pointer with 9.5 seconds left to tie it for the Raptors, who outplayed the champs for most of the first three quarters before losing on yet another big shot by Bryant, who scored 14 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter... Andrew Bynum scored 22 points and Pau Gasol had 17 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who returned from a winless road trip to beat Toronto for the eighth straight time at Staples Center... Bosh scored 22 points in his second game back from a seven-game injury absence, and Andrea Bargnani had 21 as the Raptors opened a four-game road trip by struggling from the field in the final minutes of their sixth loss in seven games.

Bobcats rally, beat Heat 83-78 to take tiebreaker -- The AP reports: The Charlotte Bobcats keep finding new ways to beat the Miami Heat, and that just might end up deciding which team goes to the playoffs. That prospect left Dwyane Wade fuming after the Heat’s second-half offensive meltdown. Thanks to D.J. Augustin’s big fourth quarter, Raymond Felton’s steady play and Wade’s shooting woes, the Bobcats earned their third straight win over Miami, 83-78 on Tuesday night to further crowd the Eastern Conference playoff race. With Chicago (31-32) losing later to Utah, the Bobcats (31-31) moved into seventh place in the East with one fewer loss than the Heat (32-32), who managed 30 points in the second half and 12 in the fourth quarter... Wade scored 27 points, but clanged a tying 3-point attempt in the final seconds for the Heat, who blew a 15-point lead and had their three-game winning streak snapped. “He can say whatever he wants to say,” said Charlotte’s Gerald Wallace, who grabbed 17 rebounds.

Yo-yo Rockets back above .500, beat Wizards 96-88 -- The AP reports: For the Houston Rockets, who need as many hands on deck as possible to get out of the win-lose blahs, it was good enough simply to see Trevor Ariza and Kyle Lowry back on the court. Ariza returned after missing seven games with a left hip injury, and Lowry was back after sitting out 12 games with a sprained left ankle. Neither was spectacular, but both shook off the rust as the yo-yo Rockets moved back above .500 Tuesday night with a 96-88 win over the Washington Wizards... Luis Scola had 23 points and 10 rebounds, and Kevin Martin scored 21 points for the Rockets, who took the lead for good midway through the second quarter and were hardly threatened in the second half by the Wizards, who have lost four straight and six of seven and drew a season-low 10,422 to the Verizon Center.

Pacers beat 76ers to end 4-game losing streak -- The AP reports: The Indiana Pacers made it look easy without their top scorer in the lineup. With Danny Granger suspended one game by the NBA for his part in an altercation in Phoenix on Saturday, the Pacers used Dahntay Jones’ 25 points and Brandon Rush’s 24 to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 107-96 on Tuesday night. Troy Murphy had 19 points, Roy Hibbert scored 12 and T.J. Ford added 11 for the Pacers (21-43), who snapped a four-game losing streak and won for just the second time in nine games... Jrue Holiday scored 21 points and Samuel Dalembert added 16 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks for the 76ers (23-40). Philadelphia has dropped six of eight since Allen Iverson left the team for personal reasons.

Clippers lose GM, then fall to Magic 113-87 -- The AP reports: The Los Angeles Clippers were distraught and dejected, stunned after losing two things Tuesday night. Their game to the Orlando Magic. Their general manager Mike Dunleavy. The way both happened caught them by surprise. Dwight Howard had 22 points and 15 rebounds to help the Magic roll past the Clippers, 113-87 on Tuesday night to tie a season high with their sixth straight victory... Jameer Nelson had 17 points and Rashard Lewis added 15 as Orlando took a 26-point halftime lead, cruising to a blowout after beating the Lakers in an NBA finals rematch Sunday.

Williams gets better of Rose, Jazz beat Bulls -- The AP reports: Deron Williams got the better of Derrick Rose, finishing with 28 points and a season-high 17 assists, while CJ Miles scored a season-best 26 points to lead the Utah Jazz to a 132-108 victory over the Chicago Bulls... Miles scored 16 in the fourth, hitting four of his six 3-pointers, as the Jazz outscored Chicago 40-27 and secured at least a .500 record for the 26th time in 27 years... With 25 points and a career high-tying 13 assists, Rose didn’t exactly get dominated in a matchup of All-Star point guards. But the Bulls tied a season high with their fifth straight loss even though Brad Miller scored 20.

Bogut scores 25, Bucks beat Celtics 86-84 -- The AP reports: A serious mismatch on paper, it looked even more ridiculous in real life: Milwaukee Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings, all of 6-foot-1 and 169 pounds, standing up to Boston Celtics forward Glen Davis—a player 8 inches taller and nearly 130 pounds heavier. Still, Jennings didn’t back down from an on-court confrontation with Davis in the fourth quarter. The rookie’s aggressive reaction to a hard foul midway through the period appeared to kick-start the Bucks, who came back and took down yet another Eastern Conference heavyweight with a 86-84 victory over the Celtics on Tuesday... Andrew Bogut had 25 points and 17 rebounds for the Bucks, who were coming off Saturday’s victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers—although they didn’t have to face LeBron James... Carlos Delfino started for Milwaukee despite experiencing flulike symptoms earlier in the day, scoring 19 points. Rajon Rondo had 20 points for Boston.

Roy has 19 in Blazers’ 88-81 win over Kings -- The AP reports: With just 16 games left in the season, Brandon Roy will take any win, even the clumsy ones. Roy scored 19 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to what Roy called an “up and down” 88-81 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night... The Kings pulled to a 74-all tie in the final quarter, but Roy’s jumper with 2:07 remaining made it 85-78 and all but sealed it for the Blazers, who have won five straight against the Kings... Nicolas Batum and Andre Miller each had 14 points for Portland. Tyreke Evans scored 18 points for the Kings, who have lost three straight overall. Carl Landry finished with 17 points and eight rebounds.

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NBA Game Recaps of Monday, Mar. 8



Knicks edge Hawks as Horford’s shot ruled too late -- The AP reports: The Knicks beat the Hawks for the third time this season, holding on for a 99-98 victory Monday night when video replay showed Al Horford’s basket came after the buzzer. Wilson Chandler blocked Josh Smith’s drive to the hoop with 1.7 seconds to play and the ball bounced out to Horford in the lane. Referees originally ruled his short jumper good, but replay clearly showed the light was on above the backboard with the ball still in Horford’s hands... Danilo Gallinari scored 27 points and David Lee had 19 points and 13 rebounds for the Knicks (22-41), who won for just the third time in 15 games and temporarily avoided a franchise-record ninth straight losing season. Gallinari was 4 of 5 from 3-point range and showed an aggressiveness that was frequently been missing in the second half of the season... Smith had 25 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for the Hawks, who have lost two straight following a four-game winning streak. Johnson scored 22 points and Horford finished with 18 points and 12 boards.

Despite injuries, Cavaliers push past Spurs -- The AP reports: LeBron James was in street clothes. Shaquille O’Neal was nowhere to be found, and Antawn Jamison was in the locker room icing his sore knee. If they had lost, the Cleveland Cavaliers had plenty of excuses. They didn’t have to use one. Mo Williams made two free throws with 9 seconds left and Delonte West made the kind of plays down the stretch reserved for James as the Cavs won for the first time in three seasons without their superstar, beating the San Antonio Spurs 97-95 on Monday night... “We had a great opportunity. Not many teams can come here and win,” said Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, who scored a season-high 38... Williams finished with 17 points for the Cavs, who were playing their second straight game without the injured James... The Spurs were also short-handed, playing for the first time this season without guard Tony Parker.

Mavericks top Timberwolves for 12th straight win -- The AP reports: Just when Dallas needed it most, Shawn Marion returned to the high-scoring form that has been absent all season. That’s been the story of this remarkable run for the Mavericks. Marion had a season-high 29 points and 14 rebounds and the Mavericks stretched the league’s longest active winning streak to 12 straight games with a 125-112 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night... Dirk Nowitzki scored 24 points and Caron Butler had 23 for Dallas, which has flourished since acquiring Butler and Brendan Haywood from the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline... Al Jefferson had 36 points and 13 rebounds for Minnesota in his return from a two-game suspension because of a DWI arrest.

Collison leads Hornets past Warriors 135-131 -- The AP reports: Darren Collison had 16 points and a career-high 20 assists, and the New Orleans Hornets snapped a four-game losing streak with a 135-131 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Monday night. Collison’s assists total tied Phoenix’s Nash for the most in an NBA game this season and was one short of his teammate Paul’s franchise record... Marcus Thornton and David West each scored 28 points for the Hornets, who shot 59 percent (54 of 92) and had six players in double figures. Anthony Morrow made all six 3-pointers he attempted and had 28 points for Golden State. Rookie Reggie Williams, a recent callup from the NBA’s development league, also scored 28 points, a career high for him.

Grizzlies slip past Nets 107-101 -- The AP reports: Mike Conley and Rudy Gay had 21 points each, and Marc Gasol added 19 points and 13 rebounds and Memphis withstood a second-half rally to defeat New Jersey 107-101, snapping an eight-game home losing streak. Memphis almost had its 21-point first-half lead vanish with a somewhat lackadaisical performance in the second half. There were times when it looked as if the Grizzlies may squander the lead... Courtney Lee scored a career-high 30 points to lead New Jersey, while Devin Harris added 28. Reserve Terrence Williams finished with 14, and Brook Lopez scored 10 points. Memphis played the game without leading scorer and rebounder Zach Randolph, who sat out with a stiff lower back. Despite Randolph’s absence, Memphis outrebounded New Jersey 52-45, including 10 by Gay.

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NBA Game Recaps of Sunday, Mar. 7



Young leads 76ers past Toronto Raptors 114-101 -- The AP reports: Even the return of All-Star Chris Bosh couldn’t help the Toronto Raptors. Thaddeus Young scored a career-high 32 points, Jrue Holiday had 21 and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Raptors 114-101 on Sunday to snap a five-game losing streak... Bosh returned from a seven-game absence to finish with 12 points and 12 rebounds, but the Raptors still lost for the fifth time in six games... Andre Iguodala had 16 points and matched a season-high with 10 assists, Elton Brand had 12 points and nine rebounds and Louis Williams scored 12 for Philadelphia... Jarrett Jack had 20 points and nine assists for Toronto.

Magic get revenge, top Lakers in finals rematch -- The AP reports: Vince Carter had 25 points, Howard finished with 15 points and 16 rebounds and the Magic beat the Lakers 96-94 on Sunday to hand Los Angeles its first three-game losing streak of the Pau Gasol-Kobe Bryant Era... Bryant played through a minor stomach illness to score 34 points, and Gasol added 20 for the Lakers. But they all walked to the locker room distraught and dejected after Bryant missed a 20-footer at the buzzer to seal their latest loss... Bryant and Barnes continuously traded elbows and were each hit with a technical foul in the third quarter after going chest-to-chest in a verbal spat. Barnes had a put-back dunk a few plays later and dangled his legs on Bryant, who extended his right arm slightly into his opponent’s chest, leading to another confrontation.

Pistons edge Rockets in OT -- The AP reports: Rodney Stuckey’s frightening collapse during Friday’s game in Cleveland wasn’t the scenario that Will Bynum had in mind, but he took advantage of the opportunity as Detroit snapped a six-game losing streak with Sunday’s 110-107 overtime win over the Houston Rockets. Bynum replaced Stuckey at point guard and finished with 12 points and 11 assists... Several of Bynum’s assists went to Tayshaun Prince, who continued his resurgence with a season-high 29 points... Richard Hamilton added 22 points for Detroit, while Jason Maxiell had a career-best 16 rebounds while filling in for Ben Wallace... Kevin Martin had 27 points for Houston, Aaron Brooks scored 25 and Luis Scola added 20. Martin and Brooks, though, both missed key 3-point attempts in the last 10 seconds of overtime.

Celts roar past Wizards 86-83 -- The AP reports: Despite one of the worst shooting nights of Kevin Garnett’s career, the Boston Celtics found a way to get a big fourth-quarter rally against the Washington Wizards. Ray Allen scored a game-high 25 points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 17.1 seconds remaining, and the Celtics surged past the Washington Wizards 86-83 on Sunday... Al Thornton scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds while Andray Blatche added 23 points and nine rebounds for Washington.

Thunder upend Kings 108-102 -- The AP reports: Kevin Durant had 27 points and eight rebounds and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Sacramento Kings 108-102 on Sunday night. The road victory was the seventh in nine games for the Thunder, who defeated the Kings in three of four meetings this season. Tyreke Evans had 24 points and seven assists for the Kings and Carl Landry had 20 points and eight rebounds. Francisco Garcia scored 14 points and Jason Thompson added 11... Russell Westbrook scored 13 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter for the Thunder, who have won two straight and five of six. James Harden scored all 14 of his points in the first half, while Jeff Green added 12 points.

Anthony scores 30 as Nuggets edge Blazers -- The AP reports: Carmelo Anthony hurt the Portland Trail Blazers with his shooting — and passing. Anthony scored 30 points—his third consecutive game with at least 30 points—and the Denver Nuggets beat the Trail Blazers 118-106 on Sunday night for their third straight victory. He also had five of the Nuggets’ 31 assists, reflecting the team’s determination to incorporate everyone in the offense as a way to help make up for the absence of Kenyon Martin (knee) and Ty Lawson (shoulder)... J.R. Smith added 22 points, Chauncey Billups had 21 points and Nene 14 for the Nuggets, who improved to 28-5 at the Pepsi Center, the third-best home record in the NBA behind Cleveland and the Los Angeles Lakers... Jerryd Bayless’ 24 points led the Trail Blazers, who saw their three-game winning streak snapped. Andre Miller had 19 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 16 but the Trail Blazers still lost for the 18th time in the past 20 trips to Denver.

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NBA Game Recaps of Friday, Mar. 5



Stuckey collapses as Pistons lose to Cavs -- The AP reports: Rodney Stuckey was walking over to give rookie Jonas Jerebko some advice Friday night when he started feeling dizzy and sat down. Shortly after he asked for some water, he slumped unconscious into the arms of Pistons trainer Arnie Kander. Stuckey was to remain overnight at the Cleveland Clinic after collapsing and being taken from the arena by ambulance during the third quarter of Cleveland’s 99-92 win over the Pistons... LeBron James had 40 points, 13 rebounds and six assists as the Cavaliers rallied from a 21-point deficit in the first half, but the game was overshadowed by the scary scene in the third quarter... Tayshaun Prince had 23 points and Richard Hamilton added 20 for Detroit, which lost its sixth straight.

Bobcats hand Lakers 2nd straight loss, 98-83 -- The AP reports: The final seconds ticked down and Michael Jordan slowly rose from his seat. He waited until the final buzzer and then briefly clapped. Jordan showed little emotion after the Charlotte Bobcats won their first game in three tries since he agreed to buy the team. And why not? Beating the Los Angeles Lakers has become routine for this franchise. Really. No matter the personnel, coach or even the impending owner, the Bobcats own the defending champions. The combination of Stephen Jackson (21 points) and Gerald Wallace (17 points, 10 rebounds) overcame 26 points from Kobe Bryant on Friday night in Charlotte’s 98-83 victory.

Weems scores career-high 20 as Raptors win 102-96 -- The AP reports: David Lee thought the New York Knicks let one get away. Sonny Weems scored a career-high 20 points, Jose Calderon had 16 and the Toronto Raptors beat the Knicks 102-96 on Friday night, snapping a four-game losing streak despite playing their seventh straight without All-Star Chris Bosh... Lee had 23 points and 18 rebounds for the Knicks, while Wilson Chandler added 18 points. Tracy McGrady and Danilo Gallinari each scored 13, and Al Harrington and Sergio Rodriguez both had 10 for New York, which has lost 11 of 13.

Bogut leads surging Bucks past Wizards 102-74 -- The AP reports: Brandon Jennings’ perfect alley-oop pass from two steps across half-court led to Andrew Bogut’s dunk that helped set the tone in the first quarter, and the surging Bucks went on to beat the Washington Wizards 102-74 for their eighth victory in nine games... Bogut led the way with 19 points and 10 rebounds despite sitting out the fourth quarter, and the Bucks also got 19 points from Carlos Delfino, along with 17 from John Salmons.

Rondo double-double lifts Celtics past 76ers -- The AP reports: Paul Pierce was way off his usual game. Rajon Rondo and the other two in the Big Three picked up the scoring slack. Against the sinking 76ers, that was easily enough for a win. Rondo had 16 points and 11 assists, Kevin Garnett scored 22 points, Ray Allen had 16 and the Boston Celtics handed the Philadelphia 76ers their fifth straight loss, 96-86 on Friday night... Lou Williams led the 76ers with 22 points, and Elton Brand had 17.

Smith leads Hawks in 127-122 win over Warriors -- The AP reports: With leading scorer Joe Johnson playing despite flulike symptoms, the Atlanta Hawks needed someone else to come up big. Turns out, four players did: Josh Smith, Al Horford, Mike Bibby and Jamal Crawford. Smith scored a season-high 29 points and Horford added 27 points and 15 rebounds as the surging Hawks held off the Golden State Warriors 127-122 on Friday night. Atlanta, which has won four straight and six of seven, improved to 25-7 at home... Stephen Curry led the Warriors, who lost their third in a row and fifth in six games, with 31 points and 11 assists. Golden State dropped its ninth consecutive road game and fell to 4-26 away from home. Anthony Morrow had 21 points for the Warriors. C.J. Watson and Anthony Tolliver each scored 20, and Corey Maggette added 18.

Barnes scores 14 in first as Magic beat Nets again -- The AP reports: With a month to go in the season, Stan Van Gundy isn’t very happy with the way the Orlando Magic play with the lead. Instead of putting teams away, the Magic have been letting them hang around. It didn’t hurt against the woeful New Jersey Nets on Friday night. The playoffs might be different... Matt Barnes scored 14 of his 16 points in the first quarter to stake the Magic to a double-digit lead, but Orlando never could put together a run to make the game a laugher... Devin Harris had 17 points and 10 assists for the Nets (6-55), who lost their third straight after stunning Boston last weekend. Brook Lopez added 18 points and eight rebounds.

Nowitzki, Beaubois lead Mavericks past Kings -- The AP reports: Dirk Nowitzki had 31 points and 12 rebounds, Beaubois added a career-high 22 points, and the Mavericks extended the longest active streak in the league with a 108-100 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night. Beaubois went 9 for 14 from the field and 3 for 6 on 3-pointers in 24-plus minutes, stepping up in the absence of the team’s No. 2 scorer, Jason Terry... Carl Landry had 21 points, and Beno Udrih and Tyreke Evans each added 20 for the Kings, who’d won three of their previous four.

Anthony scores 34, Nuggets beats Pacers 122-114 -- The AP reports: After a brief lull, Carmelo Anthony is scoring big again. Anthony had 34 points and the Denver Nuggets overcame the injury-related absences of Kenyon Martin and Ty Lawson to beat the Indiana Pacers 122-114 on Friday night... “That’s what All-Stars do. That’s why he puts up the numbers that he does,” said Indiana’s Danny Granger, who scored 32 points... J.R. Smith added 20 points off the bench and Chauncey Billups had 14 for the Nuggets, who sent the Pacers to their fifth loss in a row on the road...

Spurs beat Hornets behind Parker for 3rd straight -- The AP reports: By the standards of this underachieving season for the San Antonio Spurs, coach Gregg Popovich said even back-to-back wins is something of an accomplishment. Don’t look now, but the Spurs have won three straight. Tony Parker scored 20 points and the Spurs extended their longest winning streak in nearly two months, beating New Orleans 102-91 on Friday night to sweep the season series from the Hornets for the second time in four seasons... Rookie Darren Collison had 32 points for the Hornets, including 16 in the fourth quarter. But the Hornets still dropped their fourth straight, their longest skid of the season.

Thunder beat Clippers 104-87 behind Durant’s 32 -- The AP reports: Kevin Durant first met Spencer Haywood three years ago during his rookie season, when the Oklahoma City Thunder were based in Seattle and in the throws of a 20-62 season. The former SuperSonics star told Durant to keep his head up because things would turn around. On Friday night, Durant tied Haywood’s 1972-73 franchise mark by recording his 35th game of the season with 30 or more points in a 104-87 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. The first-time All-Star finished with 32 points and nine rebounds... Chris Kaman had 19 points and 15 rebounds for the Clippers, who shot just 37.2 percent from the field. None of them had more than one field goal during the first 16 minutes except for reserve forward Craig Smith, who made six of his first seven shots after missing two games with a left biceps strain. Smith finished 7 for 11 with 19 points in a foul-plagued 22 minutes.

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NBA Game Recaps of Thursday, Mar. 4



Grizzlies rally past Bulls, 105-96 -- The AP reports: Zach Randolph figured there was no way his teammates would let it go, so he was bracing for some good-natured teasing after getting dunked on by Derrick Rose. At least he can say he scored 31 points and grabbed 18 rebounds. More important, the Memphis Grizzlies rallied from a big first-half deficit to beat the Chicago Bulls 105-96 on Thursday night... O.J. Mayo scored 10 of his 20 points in the final quarter, and Rudy Gay finished with 17 as the Grizzlies extended their franchise-record road win streak to six and sent Chicago to its third straight loss.

Wade gets 27, Heat hold off Lakers in OT, 114-111 -- The AP reports: Jermaine O’Neal stood his ground with 18.7 seconds left in the extra session and Bryant was whistled for an offensive foul. It was the final turning point as the Miami Heat found a way to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 114-111 in the NBA’s wildest back-and-forth game this season... He was there. He stepped up,” said Dwyane Wade, who led the Heat with 27 points and 14 assists... Quentin Richardson scored a season-high 25 points for the Heat, who got 17 from Arroyo, 13 from O’Neal and a 12-point, 11-rebound effort from Udonis Haslem... Bryant scored 39 points, including the overtime-forcing jumper for the Lakers, who got 14 points from Derek Fisher and 13 points and 11 rebounds from Lamar Odom.

Jazz rally in fourth quarter to beat Suns -- The AP reports: Deron Williams and Mehmet Okur were the catalysts of the Jazz’ comeback, which was reminiscent of their rally from 17 points down when the teams first met this season on Jan. 25 and Utah won 124-115. Williams scored 13 of his 27 points during a 41-point fourth quarter and Okur finished with 24 points... Carlos Boozer had 15 points and 15 rebounds for Utah, and Miles scored 15... Amare Stoudemire scored 30 points for the second consecutive game for Phoenix. Jason Richardson had 22, Grant Hill 17 and Steve Nash 14 points and 15 assists.

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NBA Game Recaps of Wednesday, Mar. 3



Howard, Magic roll to 117-90 win over Warriors -- The AP reports: Dwight Howard had 28 points and 12 rebounds, and the Magic cruised to a 117-90 victory over the undermanned Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. Rashard Lewis added 17 points, and Vince Carter finished with 15 points to help the Magic win for the fifth time in six games and keep a tight grip on the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 playoff seed. They lead Atlanta by two games... C.J. Watson had 18 points, and Anthony Morrow had 16 points for an injured Warriors team that dressed the NBA minimum eight players. And that came after they signed Development League player Reggie Williams a day earlier, the fourth former player from the NBA’s version of the minors on Golden State’s roster.

Williams leads Hawks in 112-93 win over 76ers -- The AP reports: It’s all a matter of looks for Marvin Williams, who looked pretty good against the struggling Philadelphia 76ers. Williams scored 21 points and Jamal Crawford added 20 to power the Atlanta Hawks to a 112-93 victory over Philadelphia on Wednesday night. Joe Johnson added 18 points, Al Horford had 12 and Mike Bibby 11 for the Hawks, who have won three straight and five of six... Willie Green added 17 points for the 76ers and Andre Iguodala added 11 and Samuel Dalembert had 10 and 10 rebounds.

James has double-double as Cavs toy with Nets -- The AP reports: Forget that LeBron James had 26 points and 14 assists, one shy of his career high. The King disappointed the 17,502 fans at the Izod Center when he gently dunked two first-half fastbreaks instead of putting on a show with a rim-rocking jams... J.J. Hickson added 20 points and 13 rebounds in his second straight start for the injured Shaquille O’Neal and Antawn Jamison had 19 points as the Cavaliers won their fifth straight game. Mo Williams added 16... Brook Lopez had 21 points and 14 rebounds to lead New Jersey (6-54), which has lost eight straight to the Cavaliers, including all four this year. Rookie Terrence Williams added a career-high 21 points for the Nets, who never got closer than 11 points after being outscored 35-15 in the opening 12 minutes. Yi Jianlian added 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Celtics handle Bobcats 104-80 -- The AP reports: To win in the playoffs, the Boston Celtics know they will have to do a better job defending their home court. Their latest win was a step in the right direction. Paul Pierce scored 27 points and a stingy Celtics defense held the Charlotte Bobcats to 29 percent shooting in the second half of Boston’s 104-80 victory Wednesday night... Nate Robinson had 16 points, including three 3-pointers in a 90-second span bridging the first and second quarters to key a 16-0 run, for the Celtics... Tyrus Thomas had 15 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Bobcats, losers of five of six, and D.J. Augustin scored 12 points. Charlotte’s leading scorers coming in, Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace, were held to a combined 16 points on 5-of-15 shooting.

Knicks hand Pistons 5th straight loss, 128-104 -- The AP reports: Bill Walker scored a career-high 22 points in his first career start, and New York handed the Detroit Pistons their fifth straight loss with a 128-104 victory... Al Harrington scored 26 for the Knicks, who won for just the second time in 12 games and clinched the season series for the first time since the 2000-01 season. David Lee had 21 points, 18 rebounds and eight assists. McGrady, still playing his way into shape after missing most of season recovering from knee surgery, finished with 21 points, eight assists and seven rebounds as the Knicks shot 55 percent from the field... Tayshaun Prince and Rodney Stuckey each scored 16 points for the Pistons.

Salmons scores 22, Bucks blast Wizards 100-87 -- The AP reports: Scott Skiles said if his Bucks play like they did Wednesday night again on Friday, they’ll lose the rematch with the Wizards. After Washington’s performance, it’s hard to tell if the coach’s assessment could come true. John Salmons scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half and the Bucks continued their post-All-Star break surge with a 100-87 victory over the Wizards on Wednesday night... Andray Blatche and Randy Foye scored 18 points each for the Wizards, but Milwaukee got contributions from all over. Carlos Delfino had 13 points and 11 rebounds, Ersan Ilyasova had 19 points, 10 rebounds and six assists and veteran Jerry Stackhouse added 13 points.

Conley leads Grizzlies past Hornets, 104-100 -- The AP reports: If Mike Conley can string together more performances like the one he had against Darren Collison and the New Orleans Hornets, the Memphis Grizzlies might have a playoff push left in them after all. Conley scored a season-high 26 points and the Grizzlies won their franchise-record fifth-straight road game, 104-100 over New Orleans on Wednesday night... Zach Randolph had 23 points and 11 rebounds for Memphis, hitting a 29-foot 3-point bank shot as the shot clock expired to give the Grizzlies a 96-95 lead with 1:20 left. Conley added a running floater with 26.4 seconds left and Randolph four key free throws after that.

Nowitzki, Terry lead Mavs to 9th straight win -- The AP reports: Jerry Terry scored seven of his 26 points after taking an elbow to the face on a play late in the third quarter when he was called for a foul, Dirk Nowitzki had 22 with the go-ahead basket and the Mavericks held on for a 112-109 victory over the last-place Minnesota Timberwolves 112-109 on Wednesday night... While J.J. Barea started for Kidd, it was Terry and rookie Rodrigue Beaubois who really stepped up in his place for Dallas (41-21). Beaubois matched a season high with 17 points and Nowitzki come on late for the Mavs after a slow start... Brewer had 24 points and Flynn had 19. Kevin Love had 14 points and 14 rebounds.

Landry leads Kings past Rockets 84-81 -- The AP reports: Carl Landry’s most memorable game in Houston may be the first one he played in a visitor’s uniform. The former Rocket had 22 points and 10 rebounds against his old team, leading the Sacramento Kings to an 84-81 win Wednesday night... Beno Udrih scored 13 points and Spencer Hawes also grabbed 10 rebounds for the Kings, who snapped a four-game road losing streak. Aaron Brooks scored 22 points and Luis Scola had 19 points and 18 rebounds for the Rockets.

Anthony scores 30, Nuggets rout Thunder, 119-90 -- The AP reports: Carmelo Anthony outplayed Kevin Durant, scoring 30 points, and the Denver Nuggets took control with a big third quarter to rout the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-90 on Wednesday night. Nene added 20 points and J.R. Smith had 18 for the Nuggets, who averted a third consecutive loss... James Harden also had 19 points and Serge Ibaka 15 for the Thunder, who lost for just the third time in their last 15 games.

Roy, Aldridge help Blazers rout Pacers 102-79 -- The AP reports: Brandon Roy scored 22 points, LaMarcus Aldridge added 19 points and seven rebounds, and the Portland Trail Blazers cruised to a 102-79 win over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night. Rudy Fernandez had 16 points, including five 3-pointers for Portland. Andre Miller added 12 and Jerryd Bayless had 10. The Blazers, coming off a 4-1 road trip, have scored more than 100 points in six straight games for the first time since Feb. 4-17, 1998. Danny Granger led the Pacers with 30 points. He got very little help on the offensive end. T.J. Ford added nine and Dahntay Jones had eight. Indiana second-leading scorer Troy Murphy was just 2 of 7 from the field and Brandon Rush made 2 of 9.

Phoenix 127, LA Clippers 101 -- Amare Stoudemire shot 12-of-16 for 30 points and 14 rebounds as the Suns beat the Clippers 127-101. Channing Frye came off the bench to shoot 8-of-12 , including 7-of-10 three-pointers, for 23 points and three steals. Jason Richardson (8-of-11) had 22, Jared Dudley 17, and Grant Hill 16 in the win. For the Clippers Chris Kaman (11-of-16) had 24 points and nine rebounds. Eric Gordon scored 21.