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NBA: Timberwolves stop slide at 13 games
By The Associated Press
Saturday, December 27, 2008 | No comments posted.
NEW YORK — The Minnesota Timberwolves snapped a 13-game losing streak and won for the first time this season under Kevin McHale, getting a season-best 23 points from Rashad McCants in a 120-107 victory over the New York Knicks on Friday night.
Al Jefferson added 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who rode the combination of Jefferson’s inside play and some sizzling 3-point shooting to win for the first time since beating Oklahoma City on Nov. 28. They had dropped their first eight games under McHale, who took over when Randy Wittman was fired Dec. 8.
Nate Robinson and Al Harrington each scored 26 points for the Knicks, who lost their fifth straight. Wilson Chandler scored 19.
Warriors 99, Celtics 89
OAKLAND, Calif. — The defending champions were drained.
Stephen Jackson scored eight straight points during the decisive fourth-quarter stretch to finish with 28, and Golden State sent Boston to back-to-back losses for the first time this season.
Paul Pierce had 21 points and five assists and Kevin Garnett scored 14, but the Celtics couldn’t hold a 14-point lead a day after their franchise-record 19-game winning streak ended with a nine-point loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles on Christmas.
Heat 90, Bulls 77
MIAMI — Dwyane Wade scored 28 points, Daequan Cook hit three big 3-pointers in the fourth quarter as Miami pulled away, and the Heat (16-12)eclipsed last season’s win total by beating the Bulls.
Bobcats 95, Nets 87
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Raymond Felton scored 22 points, Emeka Okafor added 21 and the new-look Bobcats won for the fourth time in five games with a victory over the Nets.
Hornets 88, Rockets 79
NEW ORLEANS — Chris Paul had 26 points and 10 assists, and the New Orleans Hornets snapped a two-game skid with a victory over the Rockets.
Pistons 90, Thunder 88
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Allen Iverson’s off-balance runner with 0.2 seconds left gave the Pistons a victory over the Thunder.
After Iverson’s off-balance jumper, Jeff Green nearly tipped in a halfcourt alley-oop, but the ball bounced twice off the rim before falling harmlessly away.
Grizzlies 108, Pacers 105
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — O.J. Mayo scored 18 points, including two key free throws with a second left, and the Grizzlies overcame an early 17-point deficit to beat the Pacers.
Memphis took the lead with seven unanswered points late in the game and held on to snap a four-game skid. The Pacers lost for the third time in their last four.
Jazz 97, Mavericks 88
SALT LAKE CITY — Rookie Kosta Koufos scored a career-high 18 points and Deron Williams added 17 points and 13 assists as the short-handed Jazz beat the Mavericks.
The Jazz were without Carlos Boozer, Paul Millsap and Mehmet Okur — their top three scorers and rebounders — but outran the weary Mavericks all game and ended Dallas’ three-game winning streak.
Nuggets 105, 76ers 101
DENVER — Kenyon Martin took a bounce pass from Chauncey Billups and drove for the go-ahead dunk with 9 seconds left to lift the Nuggets over the 76ers.
J.R. Smith hit seven 3-pointers en route to a game-high 27 points for the Nuggets, who trailed by as many as 17 midway through the third quarter and needed a season-high 15 3s to avoid their fifth loss in six games.
Raptors 107, Kings 101
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jermaine O’Neal scored 36 points in his highest-scoring game in two seasons and the Raptors ended a 10-game losing streak in Sacramento.
The Raptors have won back-to-back games on a six-game road trip that was broken up by a three-day holiday break that allowed many of the Toronto players to go home for Christmas before returning to the team Thursday night. They responded to the time off by winning for just the second time in 13 trips to Arco Arena and the first since March 13, 1997.
Al Jefferson added 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who rode the combination of Jefferson’s inside play and some sizzling 3-point shooting to win for the first time since beating Oklahoma City on Nov. 28. They had dropped their first eight games under McHale, who took over when Randy Wittman was fired Dec. 8.
Nate Robinson and Al Harrington each scored 26 points for the Knicks, who lost their fifth straight. Wilson Chandler scored 19.
Warriors 99, Celtics 89
OAKLAND, Calif. — The defending champions were drained.
Stephen Jackson scored eight straight points during the decisive fourth-quarter stretch to finish with 28, and Golden State sent Boston to back-to-back losses for the first time this season.
Paul Pierce had 21 points and five assists and Kevin Garnett scored 14, but the Celtics couldn’t hold a 14-point lead a day after their franchise-record 19-game winning streak ended with a nine-point loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles on Christmas.
Heat 90, Bulls 77
MIAMI — Dwyane Wade scored 28 points, Daequan Cook hit three big 3-pointers in the fourth quarter as Miami pulled away, and the Heat (16-12)eclipsed last season’s win total by beating the Bulls.
Bobcats 95, Nets 87
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Raymond Felton scored 22 points, Emeka Okafor added 21 and the new-look Bobcats won for the fourth time in five games with a victory over the Nets.
Hornets 88, Rockets 79
NEW ORLEANS — Chris Paul had 26 points and 10 assists, and the New Orleans Hornets snapped a two-game skid with a victory over the Rockets.
Pistons 90, Thunder 88
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Allen Iverson’s off-balance runner with 0.2 seconds left gave the Pistons a victory over the Thunder.
After Iverson’s off-balance jumper, Jeff Green nearly tipped in a halfcourt alley-oop, but the ball bounced twice off the rim before falling harmlessly away.
Grizzlies 108, Pacers 105
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — O.J. Mayo scored 18 points, including two key free throws with a second left, and the Grizzlies overcame an early 17-point deficit to beat the Pacers.
Memphis took the lead with seven unanswered points late in the game and held on to snap a four-game skid. The Pacers lost for the third time in their last four.
Jazz 97, Mavericks 88
SALT LAKE CITY — Rookie Kosta Koufos scored a career-high 18 points and Deron Williams added 17 points and 13 assists as the short-handed Jazz beat the Mavericks.
The Jazz were without Carlos Boozer, Paul Millsap and Mehmet Okur — their top three scorers and rebounders — but outran the weary Mavericks all game and ended Dallas’ three-game winning streak.
Nuggets 105, 76ers 101
DENVER — Kenyon Martin took a bounce pass from Chauncey Billups and drove for the go-ahead dunk with 9 seconds left to lift the Nuggets over the 76ers.
J.R. Smith hit seven 3-pointers en route to a game-high 27 points for the Nuggets, who trailed by as many as 17 midway through the third quarter and needed a season-high 15 3s to avoid their fifth loss in six games.
Raptors 107, Kings 101
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jermaine O’Neal scored 36 points in his highest-scoring game in two seasons and the Raptors ended a 10-game losing streak in Sacramento.
The Raptors have won back-to-back games on a six-game road trip that was broken up by a three-day holiday break that allowed many of the Toronto players to go home for Christmas before returning to the team Thursday night. They responded to the time off by winning for just the second time in 13 trips to Arco Arena and the first since March 13, 1997.
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