National Basketball Association Capsules for Friday.
November 22nd, 2008 Posted in NBA basketball newsNational Basketball Association Capsules for Friday.
NEW JERSEY 129, TORONTO 127 (OT)
TORONTO Just when the New Jersey Nets thought they were out, Vince Carter pulled them back in.
The veteran guard buried a last-second 3-pointer to send the game into overtime, then added the game-winning dunk with 1.7 seconds left in the extra period to give the Nets a 129-127 victory over the Toronto Raptors.
After Anthony Parkers 3-pointer tied the game for the Raptors just two seconds earlier, the Nets called a timeout and somehow came up with a miraculous game-winner – as Bobby Simmons connected with Carter on the inbounds pass for a reverse dunk.
Carter collected 39 points, nine rebounds and six assists to outduel Toronto superstar Chris Bosh, who poured in a career high-tying 42 points and added nine boards. But it wasnt enough, as the Nets erased an 18-point deficit in the second half to storm back and steal a victory on the road.
Devin Harris single-handedly wrestled the momentum from the Raptors in the fourth quarter, scoring 17 of his 30 points in the period.
But it was Carter who came up with the biggest shot of regulation, burying the game-tying 3-pointer from the top of the key in front of a stunned Toronto crowd – which had been roundly booing its former star attraction the entire night.
Carter hit a turnaround jump shot to open up the overtime period, then added a long jumper two minutes later. Jarvis Hayes buried a tying 3-pointer and Harris put the Nets on top for good, 123-121, with a 17-footer with 45 seconds on the clock. Harris scored six points in the overtime period.
MILWAUKEE 104, NEW YORK 87
MILWAUKEE Charlie Villanueva scored 20 points as the Milwaukee Bucks had their way, posting a 104-87 rout of the New York Knicks, who dressed just eight players after pulling the trigger on two trades earlier in the day.
Andrew Bogut added 14 points and 17 rebounds for the Bucks, who outscored the Knicks, 54-40, in the second half and pounded New Yorks makeshift frontline en route to a 60-46 advantage on the glass.
The Knicks were without their two leading scorers and top rebounder after trading guard Jamal Crawford to the Golden State Warriors and forward Zach Randolph to the Los Angeles Clippers in separate deals.
Per league rules, New York had to suit up eight players, forcing the team to dress banished guard Stephon Marbury. The high-priced Marbury did not see his first action of the season despite donning a uniform for just the second time this season.
Chris Duhon scored 20 points and Nate Robinson added 19 and 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who have lost three straight.
LA LAKERS 104, DENVER 90
LOS ANGELES Kobe Bryant scored 29 points and Los Angeles Lakers built an early advantage on the way to a 104-90 victory over the Denver Nuggets.
Andrew Bynum finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds and Lamar Odom added 13 points off the bench for the Lakers, who improved to an NBA-best 10-1 this season.
With a double-digit lead for most of the game, Los Angeles starters received extended rest as none logged more than 30 minutes. Bryant and Bynum saw the most extensive action with 29 minutes apiece before sitting out the final quarter.
The Nuggets, who lost for just the second time in nine games since obtaining Chauncey Billups from the Detroit Pistons on November 3, got 18 points from Nene while Billups added 15 and nine assists.
The Lakers built a 15-point lead in the first, before turning it on even more in the second with a 16-2 run. Bynum followed an alley-oop finish from Sasha Vujacic with a 3-pointer with just under nine minutes remaining in the second to make it 45-26.
Four minutes later, Bryant and Pau Gasol converted on back-to-back dunks to help the Lakers grab their largest lead at 59-32 with 4:26 left in the quarter.
BOSTON 95, MINNESOTA 78
MINNEAPOLIS Kevin Garnett didnt have to do too much to make a triumphant return to his former home court.
In his first game at the Target Center since being traded last offseason, the All-Star forward registered 17 points in just 29 minutes to lead the Boston Celtics to a 95-78 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Unlike most of his 12-year tenure in Minnesota, Garnett no longer has to carry the bulk of the offense on his shoulders. A balanced scoring attack has become one of the Celtics calling cards – and it was part of the reason they marched to an NBA championship last season.
The Celtics visited the Timberwolves last season, but Garnett was injured and could not play. As he made his long-awaited return Friday night, he was greeted with a warm reception by Minnesotas faithful.
The struggling T-Wolves were no match for their former star and his new team. The Celtics erased a halftime deficit by outscoring the Timberwolves, 35-10, in the third quarter to take control for good.
Six Boston players finished in double figures, while Al Jefferson – who was part of last years trade, getting dealt from Boston to Minnesota – led all scorers with 23 points.
PHILADELPHIA 89, LA CLIPPERS 88
PHILADELPHIA Elton Brand scored 17 points and hit a go-ahead jumper with 58 seconds left to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to an 89-88 victory over his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers.
Thaddeus Young scored 17 points for Philadelphia, which had all five starters score in double figures.
Brand opted out of the final year of his contract with the intention of re-signing with Los Angeles. However, he had a change of heart and signed a five-year, $80 million deal with the 76ers.
Brands good friend, Baron Davis – who was part of the reason the All-Star forward told the Clippers he would re-sign with the team – had a chance to win it but his off-balance runner was off the mark.
CHICAGO 115, GOLDEN STATE 110
OAKLAND, California It took six tries, but the Chicago Bulls finally won a game away from home.
Derrick Rose took control in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 of his 25 points in the final frame to lead the Chicago Bulls to their first road victory, a 115-110 triumph over the Golden State Warriors.
But while the star rookie carried the team, his teammates had to hang on without him.
Rose left the floor late in the fourth with an undisclosed injury after landing awkwardly while going for a rebound with less than two minutes to play. The Bulls were already shorthanded, as Luol Deng is out with a sore left groin and Kirk Hinrich is out three months with a torn thumb ligament.
But Rose got plenty of help as his team snapped a two-game skid. Larry Hughes scored 26 points on 8-of-16 shooting – including 5-of-7 from 3-point range – and Drew Gooden collected 18 and 16 boards as Chicago shot 51 percent (45-of-88) from the field and 94 percent (15-of-16) from the free-throw line.
SAN ANTONIO 119, UTAH 94
SAN ANTONIO Roger Mason scored 29 points as the San Antonio Spurs blitzed the undermanned Utah Jazz, 119-94.
The Spurs led 61-53 at halftime and broke open the game in the third quarter, outscoring the Jazz, 34-18.
Rookie George Hill added 23 points and Tim Duncan chipped in with 18 for the Spurs.
Utah was without point guard Deron Williams – who has missed most of the last month with a sprained left ankle – and leading scorer Carlos Boozer, who suffered a strained left quadriceps tendon late in the fourth quarter of Wednesdays victory over Milwaukee.
Ronnie Brewer scored 17 points to lead the Jazz, who have not won in San Antonio in nearly 10 years.
DALLAS 91, MEMPHIS 76
DALLAS Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd each recorded double-doubles and the Dallas Mavericks continued their dominance over the Memphis Grizzlies, capturing a 91-76 victory.
Nowitzki collected 25 points and 10 rebounds while Kidd added 18 and 13 for Dallas, which won the 16th straight meeting with its division rival.
Jason Terry added 20 points off the bench as the Mavericks won their fourth straight contest overall, pulling them within one game of the .500 mark at 6-7.
Rookie O.J. Mayo scored 19 points on just 8-of-23 shooting as the Grizzles shot just 37 percent (31-83) as a team. Rudy Gay and Mike Conley scored 14 apiece.
HOUSTON 103, WASHINGTON 91
WASHINGTON Tracy McGrady scored 14 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter as the Houston Rockets finished with a flourish en route to a 103-91 victory over the struggling Washington Wizards.
Carl Landry and Aaron Brooks combined for 37 points off the bench for the Rockets, who outscored the Wizards, 33-14, on 13-of-18 shooting in the final 12 minutes.
McGrady, who has been hobbled by soreness in his surgically repaired left knee, shot 7-of-12 from the field, including 4-of-7 on 3-pointers – getting excellent lift on his shot despite the injury.
Houston, which shot 10-of-27 from the arc, nailed a barrage of 3-pointers in the final minutes. Ron Artest nailed one with 56 ticks left to provide the final margin and give the Rockets their largest lead of the game.
Antawn Jamison collected 27 points and 10 rebounds for Washington, which has lost nine of its first 10 games.
ORLANDO 100, INDIANA 98 (OT)
INDIANAPOLIS Rashard Lewis scored seven of his 23 points in overtime to lead the Orlando Magic to a 100-98 victory over the Indiana Pacers.
Dwight Howard collected 24 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks for Orlando, which has won five straight games.
Jameer Nelson matched a season high with 22 points and also dished out nine assists for the Magic.
Marquis Daniels led the Pacers with 25 points while T.J. Ford added 22, six rebounds and four assists.
ATLANTA 88, CHARLOTTE 83
ATLANTA Joe Johnson scored 30 points and Marvin Williams added 22 and 10 rebounds as the Atlanta Hawks played a stellar fourth quarter, posting an 88-83 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.
Mike Bibby scored 14 points for the Hawks, who won their second straight contest after a four-game losing streak.
It has been an up-and-down season thus far for Atlanta, which started the campaign with six straight triumphs – mainly due to its solid play during crunch time. The Hawks returned to that form in this one, outscoring the Bobcats, 26-20, in the final period.
Rookie D.J. Augustin scored a career-high 26 points for Charlotte.
NEW ORLEANS 105, OKLAHOMA CITY 80
OKLAHOMA CITY David West had 19 points and eight rebounds as the New Orleans Hornets routed the Oklahoma City Thunder, 105-80.
Chris Paul added 17 points, six rebounds and six assists as the Hornets jumped out to a 21-point halftime lead in their first game in Oklahoma City since finding refuge here after their home city was hit by Hurricane Katrina.
Devin Brown scored 16 points off the bench for New Orleans, which forced 25 turnovers and held the leagues lowest-scoring team to just 37 percent (26-of-71) shooting from the field.
Kevin Durant scored 17 points and Nick Collison collected 16 and 13 rebounds for the Thunder.
PORTLAND 117, SACRAMENTO 96
SACRAMENTO, California Steve Blake buried a career-high six 3-pointers, scoring 20 points as the Portland Trail Blazers cruised past the Sacramento Kings, 117-96.
It was the second straight dominating performance by the Blazers, coming on the heels of a 42-point win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.
LaMarcus Aldridge added 19 points for the Blazers, who pulled away by outscoring the Kings, 37-18, in the third quarter.
Rudy Fernandez and Travis Outlaw each nailed 3-pointers during a 14-2 run to close out the third as Portland boosted its halftime lead from six to 25 – heading into the final quarter at 94-69.
The lead ballooned to 29 early in the fourth on Channing Fryes dunk, sending much of the remaining crowd toward the exits, and bringing out the youngsters on both benches to finish out the game.
Aldridge converted all six of his second-quarter shots for 13 points, including 11 straight at one point, to spark the Blazers to a 57-51 advantage at the halftime break. Portland shot 59 percent (23-of-39) from the floor in the half as the Kings had no answers, inside or outside on the defensive end.
