NBA Today - March 26
Mon, Mar 26, 2007
By Associated Press
SCOREBOARD
Monday, March 26
Denver at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EDT). Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson visit the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons.
STARS Sunday
- Kobe Bryant, Lakers, scored 43 points in Los Angeles' fifth straight triumph, 115-113 over Golden State.
- Mike Bibby, Kings, scored 37 points, including a career-best nine 3-pointers, to lead Sacramento to a 107-100 victory over Phoenix.
- Ben Gordon, Bulls, scored 31 points, including the game-winning basket with 2.8 seconds left, as Chicago edged Indiana 92-90.
- Jason Terry, Mavericks, scored 15 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter to help Dallas defeat Atlanta 104-97.
- Kevin Garnett, Timberwolves, scored 22 points, including a 15-foot fadeaway jumper at the buzzer, to lift Minnesota past Portland 94-93.
SCORING
NBA leading scorer Kobe Bryant saw his 50-point scoring streak stopped on Sunday night, finishing with 43 in the Los Angeles Lakers' fifth straight victory, a 115-113 triumph over Golden State. Bryant started his streak on March 16 with an NBA season-high 65 points in an overtime victory over Minnesota and kept it going against Portland (50), Memphis (60) and New Orleans (50) for a total of 268 points in the five games (53.6 avg.).
STREAKING
Dallas posted its sixth straight win on Sunday, defeating Atlanta 104-97. The Mavericks, who improved the NBA's best record to 58-11, are now 5-0 on their current six-game road trip. Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard each had 28 points to lead Dallas.
BETTING-MAN'S GAME
Washington guard Gilbert Arenas was admonished by the NBA for making $10 bets with fans during the Wizards' loss at Portland on Wednesday. Arenas, one of the NBA's leading scorers, made the bets as he bantered with fans throughout the Wizards' 100-98 loss. Promising to score 50 points, Arenas was booed during pregame introductions and whenever he touched the ball. After the game, Arenas said he bet a fan $10 that he would make the game-winning basket. He missed badly and finished with only 19 points.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal finished with 39 points, the second-highest total of his career, and had 14 rebounds, in 92-90 loss to Chicago on Sunday. O'Neal, who scored Indiana's last 14 points, had a chance to force overtime, but missed a jumper from near the free-throw line as time expired. ... Tracy McGrady scored 31 points to lead Houston, which had a five-game winning streak snapped with a 106-94 loss to New Orleans. ... Monta Ellis matched his career high with 31 points for Golden State, who fell to the Los Angeles Lakers 115-113, just its third setback in 11 games.
SPEAKING
''One of our guys was kidding that we kind of keep him over there kind of chained up. When we let him loose, we feel sorry for the other team because he really goes. - Detroit coach Flip Saunders on forward Jason Maxiell who had career highs of 19 points and 15 rebounds in a 121-95 win over Milwaukee on Sunday. Maxiell, a reserve, got the rare start due to the loss of Rasheed Wallace, who was serving an automatic one-game suspension by the NBA.
Spurs' Horry leaves with stomach injury
Sun, Mar 25, 2007
By Associated Press
SEATTLE -- San Antonio Spurs forward Robert Horry left the game Sunday night against the Seattle SuperSonics with a stomach injury, and the team said he would not return.
Horry took a hard charge from Seattle's Chris Wilcox late in the first quarter. Wilcox fell on top of Horry as the pair crashed to the floor. Horry stayed in the game for a few more minutes, but checked out with 1:20 left in the quarter and slowly made his way back to the Spurs locker room.
Horry scored two points in his four minutes. He is averaging a career-low 3.8 points and 17 minutes this season.
Sonics' Allen to miss rest of season with injured ankle
Sun, Mar 25, 2007
By Associated Press
SEATTLE -- Seattle SuperSonics' All-Star guard Ray Allen will miss the rest of the regular season after deciding to undergo surgery for bone spurs in his left ankle.
''It makes sense for Ray to go forward and have the surgery,'' Sonics' general manager Rick Sund said on Sunday. ''He's been playing with pain for some time now, and all parties involved agree that this is what is best for Ray in the long run.''
Allen missed the last two games as the pain and discomfort in the ankle increased, and went to Los Angeles on Friday to meet with Dr. Richard Ferkel, a noted specialist on ankle injuries. Allen has been bothered by the bone spurs since early February, but didn't reveal until March 1 that the ankle was a problem.
Allen, who missed nine games in December with a bone bruise in his right foot, averaged a career-high 26.4 points in 55 games this season. He scored a career-high 54 points on Jan. 12 against Utah and scored 30 or more points 18 times.
Kings' Martin sidelined by double vision
Sun, Mar 25, 2007
By Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sacramento guard Kevin Martin injured his eye early in the second quarter of the game against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.
The Kings said Martin, their leading scorer at 20.8 points per game, wouldn't return. He had double vision, the team said.
Martin drove the lane while being defended by James Jones on Sacramento's first possession of the second quarter, and came away holding his hand to his eye in obvious pain.
He stayed in the game and made one of two free throws, but went to the locker room a few minutes later.
Martin had slumped recently, averaging just 14 points in the Kings' previous five games. Sacramento had lost eight of nine entering Sunday's game.
Boston forward Paul Pierce questionable with a left foot injury – likely to play.
Toronto guard Anthony Parker questionable with right ankle soreness – likely to play.
Detroit guard Richard Hamilton questionable with flu – status unknown.
Detroit forward Chris Webber questionable with flu – likely to play.
Houston forward Bonzi Wells questionable with sore right foot – status unknown.
Memphis forward Mike Miller has been downgraded to out with knee tendonitis.
Memphis guard Damon Stoudamire has been downgraded to out with a knee injury.
Knicks: Both Eddy Curry and Steve Francis returned to practice Monday after missing a day with flu-like symptoms and should play Monday night. Coach Isiah Thomas said the team would be without the injured Quentin Richardson and David Lee.
Kings Ron Artest said Monday that contrary to published reports, he is not retiring after the season. He said that he told his teammates he was thinking about retiring because he missed his kids, but went on to say that he never thought his comments would become public
Even though Paul Pierce plans to talk with Boston doctors today to evaluate his general health and whether or not he'll finish out the season, Doc Rivers expects him to play tonight against the Raptors.
Grizzlies: Mike Miller has been ruled out for Monday's game against the Suns with tendonitis in his knee and is listed as "out indefinitely" by the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Damon Stoudamire is also out.
Spurs Robert Horry apparently suffered an abdominal injury on Sunday and is not likely to play Monday. "I'm a little worried about Rob," coach Gregg Popovich said
Webber and Hamilton out vs. Nuggets
Mon, Mar 26, 2007
By Associated Press
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Chris Webber and Richard Hamilton missed the game against the Denver Nuggets on Monday night with flu-like symptoms.
With Will Blalock and Amir Johnson assigned to the NBDL, Webber was listed on Detroit's active roster even though he hadn't even come to the arena. Hamilton, who missed Sunday's win in Milwaukee, also stayed home.
Backup guard Flip Murray was suffering from a similar illness, but the training staff was trying to get his fever down so that he could play.
Roy leaves Blazers to attend birth
Mon, Mar 26, 2007
By Associated Press
CHICAGO -- Portland Trail Blazers rookie Brandon Roy left the arena before Monday's game against the Chicago Bulls to attend the birth of his first child in Seattle.
Blazers coach Nate McMillan said doctors in Seattle informed Roy - who leads all rookies in scoring (16.3 points) and assists (4.0) - that the child would likely be born Monday night.
''When he got the information from the doctors, he decided to go back - which is the right thing to do,'' McMillan said.