SCOREBOARD
Sunday, Dec. 23
Orlando at Boston (6:30 p.m. EST). The Celtics (21-3) have lost just one game at home this season.
STARS
Friday
-Joe Johnson, Hawks, had 32 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter, and Atlanta beat Washington 97-92.
-Paul Millsap, Jazz, scored a career-high 28 points to lead Utah over Orlando 113-94.
-Andrew Bynum, Lakers, scored a career-high 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to help Los Angeles get past Philadelphia 106-101.
-Al Jefferson and Sebastian Telfair, Timberwolves. Jefferson had 29 points and 13 rebounds and Telfair added 27 points and dished out 11 assists and Minnesota defeated Indiana 131-118.
-Gerald Wallace, Bobcats, scored 27 points and Charlotte ran over New York 105-95.
-Kevin Durant, SuperSonics, poured in 27 points to lift Seattle over Toronto 123-115.
BLAZING
Martell Webster scored 19 points to help Portland extend its winning streak to 10 games with a 99-96 victory over Denver on Friday. The Trail Blazers, who have the longest current winning streak in the NBA, haven’t won as many games since taking 12 straight during the 2001-02 season. Portland started the streak with a win Dec. 3 at Memphis, after going 5-12 to start the season.
BACK TO NORMAL
Charlotte beat New York 105-95 Friday to send the listless Knicks back to their losing ways. The Knicks dropped to 1-10 on the road this season and failed to win consecutive games for the first time in nearly a month. New York allowed the league’s second-lowest scoring team to shoot 50 percent.
BOUNCING BACK
Paul Pierce 22 points, including 15 in the third quarter and Boston beat Chicago 107-82 Friday. Recovering quickly from their only home loss of the season, the Celtics never trailed in the game and never gave up their double-digit lead after scoring 10 consecutive points to make it 40-22 with 7:50 left in the first half.
STRUGGLING
Dallas defeated the Clippers 102-89 Friday to hand Los Angeles its 12th loss in 15 games following a 6-4 start to the season. Chris Kaman scored 24 points and grabbed 19 rebounds for the Clippers. It was his 21st double-double of the season and his 11th straight in December.
STREAKING
Dirk Nowitzki scored 30 points to help Dallas beat the Los Angeles Clippers 102-89 on Friday for its fifth straight win. Nowitzki has scored at least 30 in his last three games. … Detroit routed Memphis 92-67 Friday to win its fourth straight game and has now won 11 of 13 overall. The Pistons have won six straight over the Grizzlies and 12 of 14 overall in the series.
SNAPPED
Utah ended a seven-game road losing streak with a 113-94 victory over Orlando Magic on Friday. The Jazz hadn’t won road game since Nov. 28. … The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the 76ers 106-101 to win their first regular season game in Philadelphia since February 2000. … Atlanta topped the Wizards 97-92 for its first win in Washington since December 2003. … Minnesota beat Indiana 131-118 to snap a six-game slide and won just its fourth game of the season.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Hedo Turkoglu scored a season-high 27 for Orlando and Dwight Howard had 20 points and 13 rebounds in a 113-94 loss to Utah on Friday. The Magic have lost six of their last eight and haven’t won a home game since Nov. 24. … Antawn Jamison led Washington with 30 points and nine rebounds in a 97-92 loss to Atlanta. … Mike Dunleavy had 30 points in Indiana’s 131-118 loss to Minnesota. … Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony each had 34 points for Denver in a 99-96 loss to Portland. … Chris Bosh scored 26 points and Jose Calderon matched a season-high with 16 assists but Toronto fell to Seattle 123-115 for its second straight loss.
SPEAKING
“Why wouldn’t we be? Are you not going to be OK with your sister or your brother or whoever you get in a misunderstanding with? We’re OK.” – New York’s Quentin Richardson, on an argument he had with coach Isiah Thomas on the bench in the third quarter of a 105-95 loss to Charlotte on Friday. Richardson did not return to the game afterward.