SCOREBOARD
Friday, Dec. 7
Utah at San Antonio (9:30 p.m. EST). Carlos Boozer and the first place Jazz visit San Antonio, where the Spurs are 11-0.
STARS
Wednesday
-Leandro Barbosa, Phoenix, scored 35 points and the Suns beat Toronto 136-123.
-Luol Deng, Chicago, scored 30 points to lead the Bulls to a 91-82 victory over Charlotte.
-Tracy McGrady, Houston, had 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists in the Rockets’ 105-92 win over Memphis.
-Manu Ginobili, Spurs, scored a season-high 37 points in San Antonio’s 97-95 win over Dallas.
-Nick Collison, Sonics, finished with 18 points and 17 rebounds, leading Seattle to a 95-88 win over the Clippers.
SIZZLING
Leandro Barbosa scored 35 points, Steve Nash had a season-high 18 assists and Phoenix set a season high in points, beating Toronto 136-123 on Wednesday night. The Suns have won four straight and 12 of their past 13. Phoenix has won seven straight against Toronto. The Raptors haven’t beaten the Suns since a 101-94 victory at Phoenix on Feb. 10, 2004.
GOLDEN TOUCH
Golden State made 10 of its first 14 shots from 3-point range and finished 15-of-22 from long distance in a 120-90 win over Milwaukee on Wednesday. The last time a team shot better than that in a game it made at least 15 3-pointers was when Toronto made 17 of 24 on Dec. 3, 2003, against Boston. Golden State has won 10 of 12 games after an 0-6 start.
STRUGGLING
Caron Butler had 27 points to lead Washington past Cleveland 105-86 on Wednesday night. Cleveland has lost four straight without LeBron James, sidelined with a sprained left index finger. It was the fifth straight loss for the Cavaliers -their first five-game skid since Feb. 22-March 1, 2006. … Memphis has lost eight of 12 after a 102-95 loss to Houston. … The Clippers lost their seventh straight, most since dropping eight consecutive games in February 2005, after a 95-88 loss at Seattle.
SNAPPED
Jamal Crawford scored 29 points, Zach Randolph added 25, and New York beat New Jersey 100-93 on Wednesday night. New York got its first road win in eight tries this season.
COMING BACK
The Cavaliers will match the three-year offer sheet made by Charlotte to restricted free agent Anderson Varejao, ending a protracted contract dispute that has kept the 6-foot-10 Brazilian sidelined this season. Varejao, known for his energy and defense, averaged a career-best 6.8 points and 6.7 rebounds last season in helping the Cavaliers reach the NBA finals for the first time.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Allen Iverson scored a season-high 51 points in Denvers’ 111-107 loss to Los Angeles. … Richard Jefferson had 31 points but New Jersey fell to New York 100-93. … Andre Miller scored 26 points and had 12 assists in Philadelphia’s 113-103 loss to Boston. … T.J. Ford scored 27 points but Toronto lost to Phoenix 136-123.
SPEAKING
“Everything that I saw open, I attacked, and I was able to knock down shots. When I got the ball, it seemed like every move that I made, it would throw the defender off.” – Denver’s Allen Iverson after scoring 51 points in 111-107 loss to Los Angeles on Wednesday.