Dirk leads Mavs to seventh straight win
February 28, 2010
DALLAS (AP)—Dirk Nowitzki(notes) scored 36 points, Caron Butler(notes) had 19 in his returnto the Dallas lineup and the Mavericks held on for a 108-100 victory over theNew Orleans Hornets on Sunday night to extend their NBA-high winning streak toseven games.
The Hornets had cut what had been a 25-point deficit to 101-97 after DarrenCollison’s(notes) 3-pointer with 2:44 left capped the rookie’s stretch of eightconsecutive points. But New Orleans didn’t get any closer and Collison, who hada season-high 35 points, had consecutive turnovers in the final minute thatDallas turned into baskets.
Nowitzki hit a 9-foot turnaround jumper after Collison’s first turnover, andthe first score for either team since Collison’s 3-pointer that capped hisstretch of eight consecutive points.
New Orleans Hornets forward Da… AP – Feb 28, 10:57 pm EST Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk … AP – Feb 28, 10:50 pm EST
Dallas Mavericks center Brenda… AP – Feb 28, 10:24 pm EST
New Orleans Hornets coach Jeff… AP – Feb 28, 10:23 pm EST
New Orleans Hornets guard Darr… AP – Feb 28, 10:19 pm EST
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Butler then stole the ball from Collison near midcourt and drove to thebasket, missing the layup that Brendan Haywood(notes) slammed home.
It was the third consecutive 30-point game for Nowitzki. Butler played inhis sixth game for Dallas since being traded from Washington, but had missed thelast two after having a bad reaction to some medication.
Dallas took control with a 31-6 run early and appeared to have the luxury ofa lopsided game to start a stretch of two games inside a 24-hour span. Theirgame Monday night at Charlotte starts 21 1/2 hours after Sunday’s game tipped off.
But Collison, stepping up in the absence of All-Star guard Chris Paul(notes) (leftknee injury), helped made it a tight game at the end.
New Orleans was within 86-77 after David West(notes) hit two free throws in theopening minute of the fourth quarter, closing the gap to under 10 for the firsttime since last in the first quarter.
That 19-3 run for New Orleans came during an 8-minute shooting slump forDallas, who missed 12 consecutive field goals but where still shooting 55percent for the game at that point. The Mavericks finished 52 percent from thefield (45 of 87).
Jason Terry(notes) ended the Mavericks’ shooting slump with an 18-footer, thenafter West traveled Terry passed to Nowitzki for his own 18-footer.
Two nights after scoring 40 points, West was held to 10 points on 3-of-15shooting.
Marcus Thornton(notes) had 21 points for New Orleans while Peja Stojakovic(notes) had 16.Emeka Okafor(notes) had a season-high 17 rebounds.
Jason Kidd(notes) had 13 points and passed Maurice Cheeks for fourth on the NBAcareer list with his 2,311th steal. Kidd had 10 of his points in the firstquarter.
After Stojakovic hit a 3-pointer that got New Orleans with 92-86 with justmore than 7 minutes left, Nowitzki hit a 13-foot fadeaway shot from thebaseline. Then after West got blocked on consecutive shots by Haywood before theshot clock expired, Nowitzki hit a 14-footer and then made the free throw afterHornets coach Jeff Bower got a technical foul.
Collison put the Hornets up 20-16 with a 7-foot running jumper with 5:22left in the first quarter. Nowitzki then drove for a layup that ignited the 31-6run over a nearly 8-minute span. Shawn Marion’s(notes) layup made it 47-26 with 9:14left in the first half.
NOTES: The last time Nowitzki had three consecutive 30-points games wasFebruary 2008. … Dallas played the eighth of 14 games in a 23-day span out ofthe All-Star break. … New Orleans is 6-8 without Paul. Bower said Paul isstill out “indefinitely” but is making encouraging progress. … The lastseven-game winning streak for Dallas was two seasons ago.
Raptors’ Bosh misses fifth straight game
February 28, 2010
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)—All-Star forward Chris Bosh(notes) did not travel with the TorontoRaptors and missed his fifth straight game Sunday night due to a sprained leftankle.
Bosh is listed as day-to-day for the Raptors, who played at Oklahoma City onSunday night and are scheduled to play at Houston on Monday night.
Bosh ranks eighth in the NBA with a 24.5-point average and he’s also fifthin the league with 11.4 rebounds per game.
Toronto has gone 2-2 without Bosh, including an overtime loss againstCleveland on Friday night.
Timberwolves’ Jefferson arrested for DWI
February 28, 2010
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)—The Minnesota Timberwolves have suspended center Al Jefferson(notes)for the next two games without pay after his arrest on suspicion of DWI.
The Minnesota State Patrol says a trooper stopped the 25-year-old Jeffersonon Interstate 394 early Sunday for speeding and changing lanes withoutsignaling.
Jefferson was taken to a hospital for a blood test, then to Hennepin CountyJail on suspicion of fourth-degree driving while impaired. He was released afteran hour in jail.
David Kahn, Timberwolves president of basketball operations, says Jefferson“feels terrible” about what happened. But Kahn says it’s appropriate thatJefferson be suspended.
Jefferson led the Timberwolves with 19 points in Saturday night’s 110-91loss to Portland. A court appearance is scheduled for April 23.
Spurs halt Suns’ winning streak at 5
February 28, 2010
SAN ANTONIO (AP)—Richard Jefferson(notes) scored 20 points in his best game sincelosing his starting job, and the San Antonio Spurs beat Phoenix 113-110 onSunday to end the Suns’ five-game winning streak.
Amare Stoudemire had a season-high 41 points and 12 rebounds for Phoenix,but Jefferson and the Spurs hung on late to hand the Suns only their second losssince the All-Star break.
Phoenix also had an embarrassing hand in its demise.
Jason Richardson(notes) could’ve tied the game with about 40 seconds left but blewan uncontested dunk on a fast break. With no one in front of him, Richardson’sone-handed slam ricocheted off the rim, while his teammates watched indisbelief.
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Tim Duncan(notes) had 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs. Manu Ginobili(notes) alsoscored 21, including 11 points in the fourth quarter.
Against the NBA’s top-scoring team, the Spurs gutted out only their secondwin in their last five games. Phoenix came in as one of the hottest teams in theleague, having won 11 of its previous 13.
The Suns certainly had their chances to extend that streak.
Stoudemire had 14 points in the fourth and Richardson half of his 20 pointsin the quarter, missing only one shot in the fourth—but it was a big one.
His blown dunk turned out to be Phoenix’s best chance to tie the game. SteveNash(notes) heaved a long 3-pointer with 4.6 seconds left to get Phoenix within one,and the Suns had one more shot left after Ginobili sank two free throws.
But needing to go the length of floor with 3.2 seconds left, Nash passed upa 3-pointer and instead passed to Channing Frye(notes) as the clock expired.
Nash had 18 points and 11 assists. Stoudemire was 15 of 28 from the floorand eclipsed 30 points for the fifth time in the past 13 games.
Tony Parker(notes), returning to the San Antonio lineup after missing Friday’s lossat Houston because of an illness, scored 16 points. Reserve DeJuan Blair(notes) added14 points.
But no reserve was bigger for the Spurs than Jefferson. Demoted to the benchtwo weeks ago after not meeting expectations as a high-priced starter, Jeffersoneclipsed 20 points for the first time in two months.
He came in off the bench for the fifth time in six games, a role the careerstarter appears likely to keep the rest of the season. Spurs coach GreggPopovich said before the game that Jefferson has better “focus” in his reserverole while sidestepping his disappointment as a starter.
Jefferson’s 20 points were the most since he had 24 in a win over Milwaukeeon Dec. 29. He was 7-of-11 from the field and hit two 3-pointers.
Frye added 11 for the Suns.
NOTES: The Spurs will see plenty of Suns-caliber opponents the rest of theway. Sixteen of their remaining 26 games are against teams with winning records.…Spurs F Antonio McDyess(notes) had 12 points and nine rebounds, and returned to thegame after being helped to the locker room in the third quarter with ahyperextended left knee.
Magic roll past Heat in Wade’s return
February 28, 2010
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)—Rashard Lewis(notes) had 22 points, and Vince Carter(notes) added 17 tohelp the Orlando Magic overcame Dwight Howard’s(notes) sub-par game in a 96-80 victoryover the Miami Heat on Sunday night.
Howard, who had 20 straight double-doubles, was in foul trouble most of thegame and finished with seven points and five rebounds in 24 minutes. J.J. Redick(notes)added 15 points for the Magic, who beat Miami for the first time in three gamesthis season.
Orlando Magic center Dwight Ho… AP – Feb 28, 8:31 pm EST Miami Heat center Joel Anthony… AP – Feb 28, 8:28 pm EST
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade(n… AP – Feb 28, 8:27 pm EST
Orlando Magic forward Rashard … AP – Feb 28, 8:24 pm EST
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Dwyane Wade(notes), who returned to the Heat lineup after missing four gamesbecause of a strained calf, led Miami with 21 points. Jermaine O’Neal(notes) added 16points for the Heat, who have lost four in a row.
Wade and O’Neal combined to get Howard in foul trouble, but Miami couldn’tdo much when the Magic’s All-Star center went to the bench. He went to the benchwith his fifth foul with 7:07 left and Orlando ahead 80-70. The Magic quicklybuilt the lead to 85-70 on Redick’s 3-pointer and Jason Williams’(notes) 18-footer.
Miami got the deficit under 10 only once the rest of the game—when RaferAlston(notes) hit back-to-back 3-pointers to make it 88-80 with 2:06 to play.
However, Redick responded with another 3-pointer and Lewis followed with hissecond 3-pointer to put the game away.
Howard picked up his fourth foul with 8:53 left in the third period,hammering Wade on a drive to the basket. Wade made both free throws and O’Nealknocked down three straight shots as Miami cut it to 59-58 with 5:34 left inquarter.
However, with Howard on the bench, the Magic finished the quarter on a 17-6run. Carter and Lewis hit 3-pointers, Redick added four free throws and Orlandoscored the final nine points of the quarter to take a 76-64 lead into the fourthperiod.
Howard played only 12 minutes in the first half. He missed all four of hisfield-goal attempts and had three points and two rebounds.
Lewis, Carter and Jameer Nelson(notes) picked him up, hitting 11 of 16 shotsbetween them and combining for 32 points.
NOTES: Howard averaged 28 points, 15 rebounds and shot 64.5 percent (51 of79) in his previous five games. … Miami’s reserves, averaging 38.8 points on47-percent shooting in the last eight games, had only 23 points on 9-of-25shooting.
Surgery may sideline Shaq until playoffs
February 28, 2010
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP)—Shaquille O’Neal’s(notes) regular season could be over. Nowthe Cavaliers hope the center they acquired for the postseason will be back intime for the playoffs.
O’Neal will undergo surgery Monday to repair his injured right thumb. He wasexamined Sunday by Dr. Thomas Graham at the National Hand Center in Baltimore.Graham will perform the surgery.
The Cavaliers said they will update a timeline for his return following theprocedure, but a typical recovery period is 6 to 8 weeks. There are seven weeksleft in the regular season.
“I think we’ll be all right,” point guard Mo Williams(notes) said before learningO’Neal needed surgery. “We’ll weather the storm while the big fella gets somerest.”
The Cavaliers acquired O’Neal last summer with an eye toward the postseason,and more specifically Dwight Howard(notes) and Orlando after the Magic eliminatedCleveland in the Eastern Conference finals. O’Neal has played well for theCavaliers this season, averaging 12 points and 6.7 rebounds in 53 games.
More importantly, he has played a big role in the Cavaliers going 4-1against the Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers, two teams Cleveland struggledagainst last season and two teams likely to block Cleveland’s path to achampionship.
O’Neal injured the thumb Thursday at Boston when his shot was blocked byGlen “Big Baby” Davis with just over 7 minutes left in the first half.
Anderson Varejao(notes) will continue to start at center for the Cavs. Formerbackup Zydrunas Ilgauskas(notes), traded to Washington for Antawn Jamison(notes), is now afree agent following a buyout from the Wizards. Ilgauskas is free to sign withany team, but will have to wait until March 21 under NBA rules should he electto re-sign with the Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers are a more up-tempo team with O’Neal out of the lineup.
“With Shaq, you have to take advantage of his size and you have to go inthe paint. He gets teams in foul trouble real easy,” Williams said. “WithoutShaq, it’ll be more pick and rolls, more drive and kicks and more 3-pointattempts. We’ll spread the floor out and attack the rim in different ways.”
O’Neal suffered a similar injury while playing with the Magic in 1995, whenhe missed the first 22 games of the season when he fractured the same thumb.Counting Monday’s game against New York, the Cavaliers have 22 games left in theregular season.
Cleveland also recalled rookie Danny Green(notes) from Erie of the NBA DevelopmentLeague on Sunday. He was assigned to Erie on Feb. 24 and played in two games forthe BayHawks.
Cavs C O’Neal to have thumb surgery
February 28, 2010
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP)—Cavaliers center Shaquille O’Neal(notes) will undergo surgeryon Monday to repair his injured right thumb.
O’Neal was examined Sunday by Dr. Thomas Graham at the National Hand Centerin Baltimore. He will perform the surgery.
An MRI exam Saturday confirmed the injury was a significant sprain. O’Nealwas hurt during a win at Boston on Thursday. The team has not provided anytimeline for his return.
With O’Neal out of the lineup, Anderson Varejao(notes) will continue to start atcenter. Former backup Zydrunas Ilgauskas(notes), traded to Washington for AntawnJamison(notes), is now a free agent following a buyout from the Wizards. Ilgauskas isfree to sign with any team, but will have to wait until March 21 under NBA rulesshould he elect to re-sign with the Cavaliers.
Cleveland also recalled rookie Danny Green(notes) from Erie of the NBA DevelopmentLeague. He was assigned to Erie on Feb. 24 and played in two games for theBayHawks.
Wolves suspend Jefferson for DWI arrest
February 28, 2010
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)—Minnesota Timberwolves star center Al Jefferson(notes) apologized tothe team and fans Sunday after his arrest on suspicion of DWI following aweekend loss to Portland.
The Timberwolves suspended Jefferson for the next two games without pay—apunishment Jefferson said he accepts.
“I want to apologize to the entire Timberwolves organization, owner GlenTaylor, my teammates, coaches and Wolves fans everywhere for my actions lastnight,” Jefferson said in a statement released Sunday by the Timberwolves. “Imade a very poor decision and I am truly sorry for that. As a leader on thisteam, I know that more is expected of me, and I am disappointed in myself.”
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A Minnesota State Patrol trooper stopped Jefferson, 25, on Interstate 394near downtown Minneapolis early Sunday for speeding and changing lanes withoutsignaling, patrol spokesman Lt. Eric Roeske said.
After taking a field sobriety test, Jefferson was taken to Hennepin CountyMedical Center for a blood test, which he had agreed to, then to Hennepin CountyJail on suspicion of fourth-degree driving while impaired, Roeske said.Jefferson was released after an hour in jail and faces an April 23 courtappearance.
Results of the blood test are expected in two to three weeks, Roeske said.He said the trooper noted that Jefferson was “very cooperative.” Jefferson’svehicle was towed away, Roeske said.
Jefferson led the Timberwolves with 19 points in Saturday night’s 110-91loss to the Trail Blazers at Target Center. He’s averaging 17.7 points and 9.6rebounds a game.
David Kahn, Timberwolves president of basketball operations, said Jefferson“feels terrible” about what happened.
“On behalf of the Timberwolves organization, we are disappointed that Alused poor judgment last night. Thankfully, nobody was injured or hurt,” Kahnsaid in a statement Sunday.
“Having spoken to Al, I can assure everybody associated with our franchisethat Al understands this is a matter of the utmost seriousness. He feelsterrible about what occurred and I believe him when he says he will learn fromhis mistake,” Kahn said.
But Kahn said it’s appropriate that Jefferson be suspended for the Wolves’games at Dallas Wednesday and at home against Houston Saturday.
The 6-foot-10 Jefferson missed the last 2 1/2 months of last season afterinjuring his right knee and undergoing surgery. Telephone calls to his agent’soffice were not immediately returned Sunday.
AP Sports Writer Jon Krawczynski of Minneapolis contributed to this report.
Down 11 in 3rd, Lakers rally by Nuggets
February 28, 2010
LOS ANGELES (AP)—Lamar Odom(notes) scored nine of his 20 points in the fourthquarter, Pau Gasol(notes) had 15 points and 14 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakersovercame an 11-point third-quarter deficit to beat the Denver Nuggets 95-89 onSunday.
Kobe Bryant(notes) was just 3 for 17 from the field, finishing with 14 points and12 assists. The two-time scoring champion was 1 for 9 during the first threequarters—the only field goal coming on a layup with 5:37 left in the openingperiod.
Carmelo Anthony(notes) scored 21 points for Denver before fouling out for thesecond time this season with 2:13 to play and the Nuggets down by four. The losswas their first in three meetings this season with the defending NBA champions,who beat them in last year’s Western Conference finals. Denver has blowndouble-digit leads in nine of its 20 losses this season.
Denver Nuggets' Carmelo An… AP – Feb 28, 6:24 pm EST Denver Nuggets' Nene, cent… AP – Feb 28, 5:23 pm EST
Denver Nuggets' J.R. Smith… AP – Feb 28, 5:23 pm EST
Denver Nuggets' Carmelo An… AP – Feb 28, 5:22 pm EST
Denver Nuggets' Nene of Br… AP – Feb 28, 5:13 pm EST
Denver Nuggets' Nene, left… AP – Feb 28, 5:00 pm EST
Denver Nuggets' Carmelo An… AP – Feb 28, 4:59 pm EST
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Lakers guard Derek Fisher(notes), who picked up two fouls 57 seconds apart duringthe first 2 minutes of the game and went to the bench, didn’t get his thirduntil he fouled Chauncey Billups(notes) behind the 3-point line with 5 1/2 minutes left inthe game. Billups made all three free throws to tie the score at 82. But theNuggets did not make a field goal over the final 4:10, ending their three-gamewinning streak.
Kenyon Martin(notes) missed his first seven shots in his return to the lineup andfinished 3 for 11 with six points in 36 minutes. He missed Friday night’s107-102 win over Detroit because of a bruised left knee, the same one thatforced him to miss two games earlier this month because of tendinitis.
Ron Artest(notes) scored 17 points for the Lakers, who gained a half-game to idleCleveland in the overall standings and trail the Cavaliers by one game for theleague’s best record. They lead Denver by 5 1/2 games for the Western Conferencelead.
Martin committed three fouls and two turnovers before making his first fieldgoal with 8:37 left in the third quarter to give the Nuggets a 54-50 lead afterthe Lakers had rallied from a 13-point deficit in the first half.
Bryant received his 11th technical foul of the season with 1:13 left in thefirst quarter for turning around and yelling at referee Ken Mauer about anon-call while play was going on, after a pass from Odom was slapped away fromBryant by J.R. Smith(notes) near the Lakers’ basket with Denver leading 25-21.
Nuggets reserve guard Ty Lawson(notes) left the game with 5:53 left in the firsthalf because of a bruised left shoulder.
This was the first meeting in which both teams had their regular startinglineups intact. On Nov. 3 at Denver, the Nuggets ended a six-game winning streakby the Lakers.
In the second meeting on Feb. 5 at Staples Center, Billups compensated forthe absence of the injured Anthony by equaling a career high with 39 points in a126-113 win that snapped an eight-game winning streak by the Lakers.
^Note: Denver coach George Karl, who missed Thursday’s game at Golden Stateto undergo treatment for throat and neck cancer, doesn’t expect to miss anotherone until March 10 at Minnesota. He also is doubtful for the game at New Orleanstwo nights later, and possibly another one during Denver’s five-game trip at theend of the month. “I’m not going to miss treatments. So when we’re on the roadduring the middle of the week, I’m probably going to miss those games,” saidKarl, who received good wishes and a warm handshake from Jack Nicholson atcourtside. “I’m going to be tough, but I’m not going to be stupid-tough. Theradiation and the chemotherapy treatment will get harsher and more difficult inweeks to come, but putting off the treatment would not have made any sense.”
Nets G Lee out with sprained ankle
February 28, 2010
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)—Shooting guard Courtney Lee(notes) missed the New JerseyNets’ game with the Washington Wizards on Sunday because of a sprained leftankle.
Lee hurt the ankle on Saturday in a win against the Boston Celtics.
Chris Douglas-Roberts(notes) replaced Lee in the starting lineup.
