NBA Capsules
CLEVELAND (AP)—LeBron James(notes) scored 32 points to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to their 12th straight win Tuesday night, 104-97 over the New Jersey Nets.
The win gives Cleveland the longest winning streak in the NBA this season. The Cavaliers (42-11) also have the best record in the league.
New Jersey (4-47) has the NBA’s worst record and has lost seven straight. The Nets played without point guard Devin Harris(notes), who has a sprained left shoulder. Courtney Lee(notes) led the Nets with 24 points.
James was 13-of-21 from the field with 11 assists and three rebounds. Jawad Willams scored a career-high 17 points while Anderson Varejao(notes) added 15 for Cleveland.
Bobcats 94 Wizards 92
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)—Raymond Felton(notes) hit a fadeaway 12-footer with 1.9 seconds left to lift Charlotte past Washington, snapping a three-game losing streak.
After Antawn Jamison(notes) missed a scoop shot in the lane, the Bobcats got the rebound and didn’t call a timeout. Charlotte’s play broke down, and Felton drove to the left of the lane and let go a shot over Randy Foye’s(notes) outstretched arms that swished through.
Jamison missed another scoop shot in the paint at the buzzer for the Wizards, ending their unexpected and bizarre weeklong trip—even if they were likely to be stranded in Charlotte overnight because of another mid-Atlantic snowstorm.
Stephen Jackson(notes) scored 22 points for Charlotte. Caron Butler(notes) had 23 for the Wizards.
76ers 119, Timberwolves 97
PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Andre Iguodala(notes) scored 24 points, Elton Brand(notes) added 21, and Philadelphia’s reserves performed well in a win over Minnesota.
The 76ers were once again missing guard Allen Iverson(notes), who has been out the past four games to tend to his ill daughter. The reserves came through for Philadelphia as Lou Williams (16 points), Thaddeus Young(notes) (15), Royal Ivey(notes) (9) and Jason Smith(notes) (9) helped the team win its fifth straight.
The game was played before a sparse crowd who braved the area’s second major snowstorm in less than a week. A strong contingent came to see Minnesota’s Wayne Ellington(notes), who grew up in a Philadelphia suburb.
Ellington led Minnesota scorers with 16 points, while Corey Brewer(notes) and Jonny Flynn(notes) added 14 and 13, respectively.
Kings 118, Knicks 114, OT
NEW YORK (AP)—Tyreke Evans(notes) led a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback, Kevin Martin(notes) scored nine of his 17 points in overtime, and Sacramento ended a six-game losing streak.
Evans finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, scoring 12 points in the final 7 minutes of regulation after the Knicks had built a 15-point lead. Donte Greene(notes) added 24 points and rookie Omri Casspi(notes) finished with 18, just two after halftime.
Wilson Chandler(notes) scored a career-high 35 points for the Knicks, who have lost three straight and six of seven to bring a 19-32 record into the All-Star break. David Lee(notes) finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
Pistons 93, Bucks 81
MILWAUKEE (AP)—Tayshaun Prince(notes), Rodney Stuckey(notes) and Ben Gordon(notes) scored 18 points each to lead Detroit, which had lost six of its previous eight.
Leading 64-62 going into the fourth, the Bucks tied it twice before Jason Maxiell’s(notes) short jumper ignited a 16-6 run that turned the game decisively in the Pistons’ favor. Gordon’s jumper capped the run and gave Detroit an 87-75 lead with 2:50 to go and they never looked back.
Brandon Jennings(notes) scored 11 of his 18 points in the second half and Andrew Bogut(notes) added 17 points and 18 rebounds for the Bucks.
Heat 99, Rockets 66
MIAMI (AP)—Dwyane Wade(notes) had 17 points and seven assists before sitting out the fourth quarter as Miami raced to its largest halftime lead of the season en route to snapping a five-game losing streak.
The Heat shot 13 for 15 during a 9 1/2 -minute stretch in the first half and led 56-31 at halftime. Wade was also on the bench for a breather to start the second quarter when the Heat outscored Houston 17-4 to go up 41-20.
Houston was without guards Trevor Ariza(notes) (hip pointer) and Kyle Lowry(notes) (sprained left ankle). The Rockets shot 30 percent, including 4 for 18 from 3-point range, and their point total was a season low. Luis Scola(notes) led Houston with 12 points.
It was Miami’s fourth win by at least 30 points this season.
Bulls 109, Pacers 101
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)—Luol Deng(notes) had 23 points and 11 rebounds, and Derrick Rose(notes) and John Salmons(notes) each scored 21 to lead Chicago.
Kirk Hinrich(notes) scored 17 points, and Brad Miller(notes) added 13 for the Bulls, who lost three of their previous four.
Danny Granger(notes) had 27 points and 10 rebounds, Troy Murphy(notes) had 18 points and 16 rebounds and Earl Watson(notes) added 14 points and six assists for the Pacers.
Chicago shot 51 percent from the field.
Indiana shot just 33 percent in the fourth quarter and blew a five-point lead.
Hawks 108, Grizzlies 94
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)—Jamal Crawford(notes) scored 28 points, including fourth 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, to help Atlanta pull away.
Crawford scored 14 points in the final period, and was 5 of 7 from 3-point range in the game.
Josh Smith(notes) added 17 for the Hawks and Marvin Williams(notes) and Al Horford(notes) scored 15 each as Atlanta snapped a three-game road losing steak.
All-Star forward Zach Randolph(notes) had 20 points and 14 rebounds for Memphis, which enters the All-Star break on a four-game losing steak. Rudy Gay(notes) had 18 for the Grizzlies and O.J. Mayo(notes) finished with 16.
Nuggets 127, Mavericks 91
DENVER (AP)—Carmelo Anthony(notes) scored 19 points in his return from an ankle injury and the Nuggets had their biggest win of the season, routing the Mavericks.
Anthony, the NBA’s second-leading scorer, returned after missing eight consecutive games with a left ankle sprain. However, the Nuggets were without Kenyon Martin(notes), who missed the game because of tendinitis in his left knee.
The 36-point victory margin against a Dallas team Denver eliminated in last season’s semifinal round of the playoffs surpassed the Nuggets’ previous high of 28 points, which they achieved twice in wins against Toronto and New Jersey in November.
Jazz 109, Clippers 99
LOS ANGELES (AP)—Carlos Boozer(notes) had 34 points and 14 rebounds and the Jazz beat the Clippers for their ninth straight victory.
Boozer, in his second game back after missing the previous three because of a right calf strain, was 13 for 17 from the field to help the Jazz win for the 13th time in their last 14 games. First-time All-Star Deron Williams(notes) added 13 points and 11 assists.
Los Angeles center Chris Kaman(notes), who was named to his first All-Star game on Sunday as a replacement for injured Portland guard Brandon Roy(notes), had 19 points and seven rebounds. Rasual Butler(notes) had 18 points and Eric Gordon(notes) and Baron Davis(notes) each added 16 for the Clippers, who have lost seven of their last eight.
Thunder 89, Trail Blazers 77
PORTLAND, Ore (AP)—Kevin Durant(notes) had 33 points and 11 rebounds to help Oklahoma City extend its season-high winning streak to six games with a victory over Portland.
It’s the 25th straight game that Durant has scored 25 or more points—the longest streak since Allen Iverson did it in 27 consecutive games during the 2000-01 season.
Jeff Green(notes) scored 17 points and James Harden(notes) 13 as Oklahoma City (30-21) ended a four-game losing streak to Portland.
The Thunder defense did a job on the Trail Blazers, who committed 24 turnovers and shot only .403, hitting 31 of 77 attempts from the floor.
Andre Miller(notes) scored 22 points to lead Portland. LaMarcus Aldridge(notes) had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Blazers (29-22).
Fear The Sword
