SCOREBOARD
Monday, April 23
Orlando at Detroit (7 p.m. EDT). The Magic have dropped their last six contests against the Pistons, including Game 1 of their opening-round playoff series.
STARS
Sunday
– Baron Davis, Warriors, had 33 points, including 19 in the third quarter, leading Golden State to a 97-85 victory over Dallas.
– Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets. Iverson scored 31 points and Anthony added 30 as Denver defeated San Antonio 95-89.
– Leandro Barbosa, Suns, scored 19 of his 26 points in the second half to help Phoenix rally past the Los Angeles Lakers 95-87.
– Larry Hughes, Cavaliers, scored 27 points to lift Cleveland to a 97-82 win over Washington.
STREAKING
Golden State, the eighth seed, defeated top-seeded Dallas 97-85 in Game 1 of its Western Conference series Sunday night. This was the Warriors’ sixth straight win over the Mavericks, including 4-0 since former Dallas coach Don Nelson took over as coach this season. Golden State, playing its first postseason game since 1994, got its first playoff win since April 25, 1992, and first playoff road win since May 8, 1991.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Kobe Bryant scored 39 points, but only 11 in the second half as the Los Angeles Lakers dropped their first-round playoff opener to Phoenix 95-87 on Sunday. Bryant, the NBA’s season scoring champ, was 1-for-10 shooting in the fourth quarter when the Suns pulled away.
SPEAKING
“Two years ago we probably were just happy to be in the playoffs. Now we ain’t just happy to be in the playoffs. We know we’re a good team and when we play good we can play with the best of them.” – Denver forward Carmelo Anthony after scoring 30 points to help the Nuggets beat San Antonio 95-89 in the first game of their Western Conference playoff series Sunday.