AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -LeBron James sprained his left index finger in the second quarter and did not return, and the Detroit Pistons went on to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-74 on Wednesday night.
The Cavs said X-rays were negative, adding he would be evaluated again Thursday.
James returned to Cleveland’s bench late in the third quarter, sporting a suit and turtleneck, with tape wrapped around his index and middle fingers on his non-shooting hand. Late in the half, ice was packed and wrapped briefly over his left hand.
James had 15 points and three assists in the first half, accounting for more than one-third of the Cavs’ points, in a rematch of the Eastern Conference finals.
Detroit’s Richard Hamilton scored 18 points, Tayshaun Prince had 14 and Antonio McDyess added 14 in a game the home team led 48-43 at halftime against James.
When the star was stuck on sidelines for the second half, the Cavs had no shot to come back.
Mavericks 109, Timberwolves 103
DALLAS (AP) – Dirk Nowitzki had 27 points and 11 rebounds, Devin Harris scored 22 points, and Dallas snapped a three-game losing streak with a win over Minnesota.
Brandon Bass had 15 points to help the Mavericks improve to 7-1 at home.
Nowitzki scored eight points in the final 5:41, six from the free-throw line where he converted all 13 attempts.
Al Jefferson had a season-high 31 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Rashad McCants scored 21 points, and Craig Smith added a season-high 17 for the Timberwolves.
Warriors 103, Kings 96
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Stephen Jackson made two 3-pointers in a 20-second span late in the fourth quarter and Monta Ellis had 22 points to rally Golden State past Sacramento.
Despite missing from long-range most of the evening, Jackson made two big ones when it counted for Golden State, which scored the game’s final nine points. Jackson’s back-to-back 3-pointers, the second one coming with 1:21 left, helped erase a four-point deficit and put the Warriors ahead 98-96 with 1:11 remaining.
Jackson finished with 21 points.
Kevin Martin had 28 points and seven rebounds for the Kings, who have lost four of five games. Ron Artest finished with 21 points and nine rebounds.
Spurs 109, Wizards 94
SAN ANTONIO (AP) – Tony Parker had 29 points and 11 assists to help San Antonio beat Washington.
Manu Ginobili added 19 points and Tim Duncan had 16 for the Spurs.
Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison, who have stepped up for the Wizards since guard Gilbert Arenas went out last week for three months following knee surgery, combined to go just 9-of-24 from the field for 28 points. Brendan Haywood scored a season-high 19 points for Washington.
The Wizards got within six points, 86-80, with 8 1/2 minutes to go in the fourth, but Parker’s 10 fourth-quarter points were the difference for San Antonio, which led from midway through the second quarter.
Magic 110, SuperSonics 94
SEATTLE (AP) – Dwight Howard dunked, blocked and dominated Seattle’s undersized frontline for a career-high 39 points and 16 rebounds, and Orlando got its NBA-best 14th win.
No matter the combination Seattle used to try and stymie Howard, it didn’t work. The powerful center made 12 of 17 shots, including nine dunks, and found his way to the free-throw line 20 times, making 15.
He had 30 points and 13 rebounds by the end of the third quarter, and recorded his 14th double-double of the season.
Seattle lost its sixth straight and remained the only winless team at home in the NBA. Kevin Durant scored 22 for the Sonics and Wally Szczerbiak added 20 off the bench. But the pair combined to make just 12 of 41 shots.
Pacers 95, Trail Blazers 89
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Mike Dunleavy had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Indiana beat Portland for the eighth straight time.
Jeff Foster added 11 points and 17 rebounds for the Pacers, who won for the second straight night.
Portland’s Travis Outlaw narrowed it to 89-86 with a turnaround jumper with less than a minute left, but Jamaal Tinsley’s 18-foot-jumper with 24.9 seconds remaining made it 91-86 and sealed it.
Tinsley had 15 points and 10 assists.
Outlaw led the Blazers with 26 points. LaMarcus Aldridge added 22.
Jazz 106, 76ers 95
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Carlos Boozer scored 12 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter to lead Utah to a victory over Philadelphia.
Ronnie Brewer added 19 points and Mehmet Okur had 16. Deron Williams had 15 points and 15 assists for the Jazz (11-5), who rebounded after a 113-109 loss at New York two nights earlier.
Andre Iguodala led the Sixers with 20 points while Andre Miller added 16. Lou Williams chipped in with 13 while Willie Green and Samuel Dalembert had 11 each.
Utah shot 54 percent from the field and led 49-44 at halftime.
Hawks 96, Bucks 80
ATLANTA (AP) – Josh Childress scored six points in a 13-2 run midway through the final quarter and Atlanta broke open a close game to get a rare win over Milwaukee.
Joe Johnson led six players in double figures with 21 points and Atlanta won for the fourth time in its last 13 games against Milwaukee. The Hawks’ bench outscored the Bucks’ reserves 43-7.
Al Horford, Zaza Pachulia and Childress each had 12 points and Tyronn Lue added 11 for Atlanta.
Michael Redd had 24 points and Mo Williams added 23 for the Bucks, who lost for the second straight night following a five-game winning streak.
Raptors 103, Grizzlies 91
TORONTO (AP) – Anthony Parker scored 19 points and Jose Calderon added 13 points and 10 assists to help Toronto pick up a costly win.
The Raptors lost Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani to injury. Bosh left in the second quarter because of a strained right groin and did not return. Bargnani also limped off and did not return after suffering a right-knee bruise when he collided with Stromile Swift early in the fourth.
Bosh finished with 10 points while Bargnani scored 11. Seven different players reached double figures for the Raptors, who led by as many as 28.
Juan Carlos Navarro scored 15 points and Pau Gasol added 13 for the Grizzlies, who lost for the first time in three games.
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