SCOREBOARD
Monday, Dec. 17
Phoenix at San Antonio (8:30 p.m. EST). The Suns look to hand the Spurs their first home loss this season.
STARS
Saturday
-Rudy Gay, Grizzlies, scored a career-high 32 points to help Memphis upend Orlando 123-119.
-Michael Redd, Bucks, scored 32 points, including two late free throws, to help Milwaukee hold off Minnesota 95-92.
-Jamal Crawford, Knicks, chipped in 32 points in New York’s 94-86 win over New Jersey.
-Joe Johnson, Hawks, scored 31 points to lead Atlanta past Charlotte 93-84.
-Jamaal Tinsley, Pacers, poured in 26 points to lift Indiana over Miami 106-103.
WORST START
Craig Smith scored 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Al Jefferson had 23 points and 15 rebounds but Minnesota lost to Milwaukee 95-92 Saturday. The Timberwolves have lost nine of their last 10 road games and at (3-19) set the worst 22-game start in franchise history. They had tied the 1991-92 team for the worst 21-game start. That team beat the Los Angeles Lakers 93-85 its next game and finished the season at 15-67.
TEXAS TWO-STEP
Dallas downed Houston 96-83 Saturday, continuing to dominate their in-state division rival. The Mavericks have won six straight meetings with the Rockets and 10 of the last 11. Dallas shot 51 percent (36 of 71) against Houston’s defense, fourth-best in the NBA coming into the game. Yao Ming had 28 points and 14 rebounds for the Rockets, who’ve lost five of their last eight.
NO GIVEAWAYS
Chris Quinn’s streak without a turnover ended at 135 minutes, 25 seconds, when he stepped out of bounds after taking a pass from Dwyane Wade late in the first quarter of Miami’s 106-103 loss to Indiana on Saturday. The Pacers have topped the Heat in 18 of their last 22 regular-season meetings.
ROAD WOES
Atlanta beat Charlotte 93-84 Saturday to hand the Bobcats their eighth road loss in nine games. Charlotte has lost 10 of 12 games following a 6-4 start. The Hawks snapped a two-game slide with the win.
STREAKING
DeShawn Stevenson had 19 points, including five 3-pointers, to help Washington get past Sacramento 92-79 Saturday for its fourth straight win. The Kings have lost four straight to the Wizards.
SNAPPED
Eddy Curry scored 23 points, a night after his first scoreless game in nearly five years, and New York beat New Jersey 94-86 Saturday to snap a five-game losing streak. It was a rare victory for the Knicks in what has been a one-sided series between cross-river rivals. The Nets had won six straight in New York, with the Knicks’ last home victory coming March 19, 2004. … Utah defeated Seattle 96-75 to snap a six-game losing streak. … Juan Carlos Navarro chipped in 25 to help Memphis snap a six-game losing streak with a 123-119 victory over Orlando.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Dwight Howard had 31 points and 20 rebounds in Orlando’s 123-119 loss to Memphis on Saturday. It was the third straight home loss for the Magic. … Vince Carter scored 32 points but New Jersey fell to New York 94-86 for its fifth loss in six games. … Allen Iverson scored 30 points but Denver was defeated by San Antonio 102-91.
SPEAKING
“Guys that we thought wasn’t going to knock down shots were knocking down shots. I don’t know what the score was, but – we got 79? Gosh, we’ve got to play better.” – Sacramento’s Ron Artest, after the Kings dropped to 1-10 on the road this season with a 92-79 loss on Saturday in Washington.