Kobe Bryant scored 22 points before sitting
out the fourth quarter, and Pau Gasol added 16 points, five rebounds
and four assists as the Los Angeles Lakers routed the San Antonio
Spurs 99-85 on Sunday.
The win was the fourth straight and 14th in 17 games for the
Lakers (35-8), whose .814 winning percentage is the best in the NBA
although the defending champion Boston Celtics (37-9) lead them by a
half-game in the overall standings by virtue of their 124-100
victory over Dallas earlier Sunday.
Tony Parker had 19 points and six assists and Tim Duncan added 15
points and eight rebounds for the Spurs (29-14), who lost for just
the fourth time in their past 18 games.[
Celtics 124, Mavericks 100=
At Boston, Ray Allen scored 20 of his 23 points in the first half
when the Celtics opened a 27-point lead, and Eddie House added seven
3-pointers to help Boston beat Dallas and give the defending NBA
champion its eighth straight victory.
House scored 23 - making 7-of-11 from 3-point range - Kevin
Garnett scored 23, and Rajon Rondo had 13 points and 14 assists for
Boston. After a 2-7 slump that was the worst of the new Big Three
era, the Celtics have won eight in a row by an average of 16 points,
and six straight in double digits.
Jason Terry scored 27 for the Mavericks, who have won just three
of their last nine games.[
Suns 104, Hawks 99=
At Atlanta, Amare Stoudemire scored 23 points, and Shaquille
O'Neal had 19 points and 11 rebounds to help Phoenix down Atlanta
and snap a three-game losing streak.
Steve Nash, who finished with 14 points and 13 assists, used a
give-and-go with Stoudemire to make it 102-99 with 26.2 seconds
remaining.
The Hawks had won three straight, but made just one field goal, a
short jumper by Solomon Jones, after Jones gave Atlanta its last
lead, 95-94, at the 6:06 mark.
O'Neal hit two free throws to put Phoenix ahead 96-95 for the
game's 19th and final lead change.
Reserve guard Leandro Barbosa had 20 points for the Suns, who had
lost five of six and were coming off a season-worst 22-point loss at
Charlotte.[
Raptors 113, Kings 97=
At Toronto, Chris Bosh scored 31 points and Andrea Bargnani added
24 as Toronto handed Sacramento its their fifth straight loss.
Jose Calderon had 16 points and eight assists as Toronto won its
second straight following a season-high seven-game losing streak.
Jermaine O'Neal added 11 points and 10 rebounds and Anthony Parker
scored 11 points for the Raptors.
John Salmons scored 21 points for the Kings, who are 0-18 against
Eastern Conference opponents this season and have not beaten an East
team since a 106-100 home win over Toronto on March 16, 2008.[
Rockets 108, Pistons 105=
At Auburn Hills, Michigan, Ron Artest scored three of his 24
points at the line in the final 14 seconds to help Houston hold off
Detroit.
Artest and Tracy McGrady returned to the lineup for the Rockets,
who were without Yao Ming because of a knee injury.
Luis Scolahad 21 points while starting for Yao, and McGrady
scored 15. Shane Battier and Rafer Alston both added 14, and Von
Wafer scored 10 points.
Detroit's Richard Hamilton scored 27 and Rasheed Wallace had 22
points. Allen Iverson scored 17 and Rodney Stuckey had 14 points.[
Timberwolves 109, Bulls 108, OT=
At Minneapolis, Al Jefferson scored a season-high 39 points to
lead Minnesota to an overtime victory over Chicago, the
Timberwolves' ninth win in 11 games.
With the win, Minnesota sent Chicago to its fifth straight loss
and improved to 9-2 in January, surpassing San Antonio for the
league's best record in 2009.
Ben Gordon led six Chicago players in double figures with 23
points.
Rookie Kevin Love added 19 points and a career-high 15 rebounds
for the Timberwolves, who completed their biggest comeback of the
season after falling behind by 16 points in the first quarter.[
Pacers 98, Bobcats 93=
At Indianapolis, Danny Granger had 27 points to lead Indiana past
Charlotte for its season-high fifth straight win at home.
Raja Bell and Boris Diaw had 18 points apiece, and Emeka Okafor
finished with 14 points and eight rebounds for Charlotte, which had
won five of six.
Charlotte, which trailed by 14 in the third quarter, cut the
deficit to 96-93 on Bell's jumper with 1:25 left, and Jeff Foster's
free throw gave Indiana a four-point lead. Following two missed free
throws by Diaw and Gerald Wallace's missed 3-pointer, T.J. Ford's
foul shot sealed the victory.[
Warriors 107, Clippers 92=
At Oakland, California, Corey Maggette scored 20 points against
his former team as the Golden State Warriors downed the Los Angeles
Clippers to end a two-game slide.
Anthony Morrow added 17 points and Kelenna Azubuike had 16 points
for the Warriors, who beat the Clippers for the fifth straight time.
Andris Biedrins had 12 points and 14 rebounds.
Eric Gordon scored 21 points for the Clippers, which lost their
seventh straight on the road and 15th in 17 games overall. Rookie
center DeAndre Jordan grabbed a season-best 18 rebounds to go with
eight points.
The Warriors led 55-44 at the half and took a 20-point lead -
84-64 - into the final quarter.
