SCOREBOARD
Saturday, April 7
Denver at L.A. Clippers (10:30 p.m. EDT) The Clippers have won seven of eight and are hanging on to a playoff spot.
Sunday, April 8
Chicago at Toronto (6 p.m. EDT). The Raptors clinched their first division title on Friday night.
STARS
Friday
-Kobe Bryant, Lakers, scored 46 points and Los Angeles beat Seattle 112-109.
-Danny Granger, Pacers, scored a career-high 32 points to lead Indiana’s 112-102 win over Charlotte.
-Baron Davis, Warriors, had 31 points and nine assists to lead Golden State to a 116-104 victory over Memphis.
UGLY
Dallas shot just 36 percent in Friday night’s 75-71 loss to Denver. Dirk Nowitzki, who finished with 22 points, was 9-of-23 from the floor and Jason Terry was 6-of-20 for 13 points for the Mavericks. The Nuggets were even worse, shooting 35.5 percent. Allen Iverson was 9-for-23 for 22 points, and Carmelo Anthony was 7-for-21 for 23 points.
UNSTOPPA-BULLS
Chicago beat New Jersey 105-74 Friday night for its seventh win in eight games and moved within 2 1/2 games of Detroit for first-place in the Central Division and Eastern Conference. Chicago holds the tiebreaker over Cleveland and both are 46-31.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Brandon Roy and Jarrett Jack combined for 47 points to lead Portland over Houston 85-78 Friday night. Roy, a rookie, scored 24 points and the second-year Jack had 23 for the Trail Blazers, who were missing star Zach Randolph.
TWIN BILLS
Steve Nash had 15 points and 12 assists in Phoenix’s 103-95 win over New Orleans on Friday night, matching a career best with his 49th double-double of the season.
KEEPING PACE
Indiana kept its playoff hopes alive by beating Charlotte 112-102 Friday night and drawing within a game of idle Orlando for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
SO CLOSE
Dallas lost its chance of joining the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls as the only teams in NBA history to win 70 games, after Friday night’s 75-71 loss to Denver. The best the Mavericks (62-13) can do is 69 wins.
SPEAKING
“We have a tape that we can show them that they can be a great defensive team. We play defense and we’re going to find answers offensively. I’ve said that since the day we made the (Allen Iverson) trade. I think we’re a dangerous basketball team.” – Denver coach George Karl after Denver’s 75-71 win over Dallas on Friday night. The Nuggets held the Mavericks to just 36 percent shooting.
