Studs: Rudy Gay led the Grizzlies with 24 points and eight rebounds and Marc Gasol continued his hot shooting, posting an 8-for-10 night with 18 points, six rebounds, four blocks, and two steals.Sacramento got double-digit outings from three reserves (Sergio Rodriguez with 16, Omri Casspi with 15, and Donte Greene with 11) and 28 points on 11-for-18 shooting from Tyreke Evans.
Duds: Evans, Spencer Hawes, and Andres Nocioni combined for 13 turnovers.Casspi added three more, and Greene fouled out in just 19 minutes for the Kings.Memphis's Hasheem Thabeet tied a career-high with 12 minutes, but shot only 2-for-6 from the free throw line with four quick fouls.
Game Notes: The teams combined for 122 points in the paint (62 for Memphis and 60 for Sacramento)… Sacramento scored more points off of 16 Memphis turnovers (18) than the Grizzlies did off of 21 King turnovers (15)… Sacramento has now lost four straight after their surprising 5-4 start… Evans is now averaging 19 points per game and has scored 20 or more in seven straight contests… Late in the first half, the Kings featured a lineup of five players from five different countries: Beno Udrih (Slovenia), Sergio Rodriguez (Spain), Casspi (Israel), Nocioni (Argentina), and Hawes (United States).
San Antonio 112, Milwaukee 98
Studs: Tim Duncan had game-highs with 24 points and 12 rebounds and Matt Bonner made six 3-pointers on his way to 23 points off the Spurs' bench.Ersan Ilyasova had 20 points to lead Milwaukee, and Hakim Warrick came off the bench to post 15 points on 5-for-7 shooting.
Duds: Super-rookie Brandon Jennings was just 6-for-21 from the field, with five of the Bucks' nine turnovers.Richard Jefferson (3-for-7 with three turnovers) and Tony Parker (2-for-7 with five giveaways) both struggled for San Antonio.
Game Notes: Reserves George Hill and DeJuan Blair registered eight of the Spurs' 14 team fouls, as Milwaukee reached the free throw line just 14 times, converting nine attempts… This was the first win of the season for San Antonio in five games when Duncan scores 20 points or more… Michael Redd made his return from a knee injury.He scored four points in 11 minutes off the bench and was responsible for all five of the Bucks' missed free throws… Milwaukee entered the game as the NBA's best rebounding team, but struggled against the Spurs, gathering just 29 boards, to San Antonio's 46.
Portland 122, Chicago 98
Studs: Portland dominated the interior against Chicago, as LaMarcus Aldridge (24 points and 13 rebounds) and Greg Oden (24 points and 12 rebounds) each had their way.Brandon Roy added 18 points and seven assists in the runaway win.Luol Deng led the Bulls with 25 points and John Salmons had 22 on 8-for-15 shooting.
Duds: Taj Gibson shot just 3-for-11, while picking up five fouls.Fellow big men Joakim Noah (five) and Brad Miller (four in just 15 minutes) also struggled defensively for Chicago.Martell Webster followed up his big game against Minnesota with a 3-for-10 outing against the Bulls.
Game Notes: Portland shot 57.5% from the floor and attempted 40 free throws (making 32, for an even 80% success rate)… Chicago committed just six turnovers or this game could have gotten really ugly… The Bulls gathered just 27 rebounds as a team, while Aldridge and Oden had 25 between the two of them… Oden's 24 points tied a career high and came on 7-for-8 shooting and 10-for-12 from the free throw line.The 10 makes at the line is also a career high… Portland hasn't lost to the Bulls since the 2006-2007 season.
LA Clippers 91, Minnesota 87
Studs: Al Thornton made 11 field goals and put up his best performance of the season with 31 points and 10 rebounds for the Clippers.Marcus Camby added 12 points and 18 rebounds, and Sebastian Telfair had 17 points to lead all reserves.Jonny Flynn had a nice game for Minnesota, with 17 points on 50% shooting, with five assists and two made 3-pointers.
Duds: Al Jefferson had 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Timberwolves, but that hardly mattered because of his eight turnovers.Ryan Gomes also struggled for Minnesota, shooting just 6-for-17.Baron Davis was 1-for-10 and Chris Kaman was 6-for-20 in the win.
Game Notes: Both teams struggled offensively, but Minnesota's 3-point shooting advantage (+15 points) was overcome by their inability to hold onto the basketball.The Timberwolves committed 21 turnovers, to just 13 for the Clippers… Davis made his only field goal (after nine straight misses) with 8.5 seconds left to push a two-point Clipper lead to an insurmountable four points in the closing moments… Minnesota hasn't scored more than 87 points since their 141-105 loss to Golden State two weeks ago.They've lost all six games over that stretch… Clippers' guard Eric Gordon hopes to return from a strained groin on Wednesday in his hometown of Indianapolis.
Studs: Vince Carter led the Magic with a game-high 24 points and eight rebounds, and J.J. Redick went 6-for-10 from the floor on his way to 19 points.Chris Bosh led the Raptors with 22 points and Jarrett Jack added eight points, seven rebounds, and 11 assists off the bench in the loss.
Duds: Hedo Turkoglu and Andrea Bargnani combined to shoot 7-for-22 from the field and Bosh was just 6-for-14 for Toronto.Dwight Howard was 4-for-13 from the field for Orlando.
Game Notes: Carter was 2-for-11 in the first half and 7-for 13 in the second… The two teams combined for 16 turnovers (seven for Orlando and nine for Toronto)… Jason Williams made his third straight start in place of the injured Jameer Nelson, and posted 16 points on 5-for-9 shooting.
Boston 107, New York 105 (OT)
Studs: Paul Pierce made 6-of-7 3-point attempts on his way to 33 points, nine rebounds, and six assists as Boston came from behind to beat the Knicks.Rajon Rondo came up just short of a triple-double with 14 points, nine rebounds, 10 assists, and four steals.Al Harrington had a team-high 30 points of New York's bench, and David Lee notched another double-double with 22 points and 15 rebounds.
Duds: The Knicks' starting backcourt of Chris Duhon and Larry Hughes combined to shoot 3-for-17 with just 7 points in 85 minutes.Rasheed Wallace was 0-for-6, and Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen combined to shoot 7-for-28 from the field for the Celtics.
Game Notes: After struggling all game, it was Garnett, and not Pierce, who knocked down the game winner at the buzzer… Pierce scored the first seven points of overtime for the Celtics before Garnett won it… Eddy Curry played his first home game in nearly two years, posting six points and four rebounds in 16 minutes.
Charlotte 104, Indiana 88
Studs: The Bobcats had six players in double figures, led by Nazr Mohammed with 18 points and Boris Diaw with 17 points and seven rebounds.Rookie Derrick Brown added 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting off the bench.Dahntay Jones led the Pacers with 19 points.
Duds: Danny Granger scored 18 points for the Pacers, but shot just 5-for-14 with four turnovers.Brandon Rush posted a +/- rating of -23, which was eight points worse than any other Indiana player.Flip Murray was 3-for-11 for Charlotte.
Game Notes: Mohammed started in place of Tyson Chandler, who missed his second straight game with back spasms, and made the most of it, shooting 8-for-10 from the field… The 104-point outburst is the highest-scoring game of the season for the Bobcats… Indiana's Mike Dunleavy has been cleared to return to the team after missing all of last season with a knee injury… The game was Pacers' rookie Tyler Hansbrough's first game back in North Carolina.
Miami 102, New Orleans 101
Studs: Dwyane Wade's 31 points, six rebounds, and three blocks were barely enough to keep the Hornets from their second enormous upset in as many days.Rookie Marcus Thornton had another big game for New Orleans, making five 3-pointers on his way to a team-high 24 points.
Duds: Thornton's fellow rookie Darren Collison was just 3-for-12 shooting, and David West continued to struggle without Chris Paul, shooting just 6-for-15 with three turnovers.
Game Notes: The Hornets shot just 39.6% from the field, but stayed in the game thanks to 12 made 3-pointers, including four from James Posey and three from Peja Stojakovic… Udonis Haslem returned from a shoulder injury with 14 points, seven rebounds, and the game winner that came with just 15.4 seconds left on the clock… Miami came in on a season-worst three-game losing streak, while the Hornets were on a season-best three-game winning streak.
Phoenix 117, Detroit 91
Studs: Amare Stoudemire had 21 points and five rebounds and Steve Nash had 20 points and nine assists as Phoenix dismantled the Pistons.Charlie Villanueva and rookie DaJuan Summers led Detroit with 13 points each.
Duds: Ben Gordon was 3-for-11 with four turnovers, and backcourt mate Rodney Stuckey was just 4-for-15 in the loss.
Game Notes: The Suns shot 57.5% from the field and 61.1% from distance, making 11-of-18 3-point attempts… Phoenix got 41 points from their reserves and none of their starters logged more than 30 minutes… Summers' 13 points were a career high… The loss ended an 0-4 road trip for the Pistons, who play seven of their next nine games at home.
LA Lakers 101, Oklahoma City 85
Studs: Pau Gasol had an off night, but the defending champion Lakers showed their versatility against the Thunder.Kobe Bryant led the way with 26 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and no turnovers; and Andrew Bynum added 25 points and nine rebounds.Kevin Durant had a team-high 19 points for Oklahoma City, which got strong showings from deep reserves Serge Ibaka (13 points, 11 rebounds, and five blocks) and D.J. White (12 points).
Duds: Three of the Thunder's top scorers struggled, as Russell Westbrook was 5-for-16, James Harden was 2-for-15, and Jeff Green was 1-for-6.The Lakers' bench was just 11-for-35.
Game Notes: The Lakers scored 60 points in the paint (compared to 44 for Oklahoma City) and 25 points off of 19 Thunder turnovers (Oklahoma City scored 10 off of 9 turnovers)… Coming into the game, Ibaka had amassed just 15 points, 12 rebounds, and two blocks on the season… Bryant made a highlight reel fadeaway in the first quarter, when his shot from the baseline arced from behind the backboard and in.
Studs: Al Harrington and Danilo Gallinari had 17 points each and David Lee added 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Knicks.Chris Douglas-Roberts led all scorers with 24 points and Brook Lopez tallied 18 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks for New Jersey.
Duds: Rafer Alston was 1-for-7 and Sean Williams missed all five shot attempts and fouled out in just 16 minutes in the loss.
Game Notes: Devin Harris returned to action for the lowly Nets after missing the past 10 games with a strained groin.He posted 12 points and seven assists in 26 minutes off the bench… According to STATS LLC, this was the worst matchup at this point in the season since the 2-13 Timberwolves hosted the 0-14 Clippers in 1994.
Cleveland 97, Philadelphia 91
Studs: LeBron James had 32 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists and Mo Williams chipped in 18 points and eight assists to lead Cleveland to victory.Lou Williams (22) and Thaddeus Young (21) reached the 20-point plateau for the 76ers, and Elton Brand continued his hot streak with 18 points and 14 rebounds in defeat.
Duds: Andre Iguodala was 6-for-22 for Philadelphia and the 76ers bench totaled just 14 points, 12 of which came from Rodney Carney.Cleveland's bench wasn't much better, combining for 16 points on 4-for-15 shooting.
Game Notes: Cleveland clamped down defensively in the fourth quarter, holding Philadelphia to just 10 points on 4-for-23 shooting over the final 12 minutes… Jason Kapono missed the game for the 76ers with a sprained ankle… Zydrunas Ilgauskas played his 721st career game with the Cavaliers, trailing only Danny Ferry's franchise record of 723.
New Orleans 96, Atlanta 88
Studs: New Orleans got a huge win over the NBA's best team behind two rookies.Darren Collison looked downright Chris Paul-like with 22 points and 11 assists, and fellow rookie Marcus Thornton added 21 points off the bench.Jamal Crawford had a team-high 20 points off the Hawks' bench.
Duds: Crawford was just 8-for-21 from the floor and Josh Smith and Joe Johnson each shot 33.3% from the field.David West was 6-for-20 for the Hornets.
Game Notes: The Hawks had won seven straight games before the loss, while New Orleans has now won three straight… The Hornets made 12-of-17 3-point attempts (70.6%), but only 10-of-17 free throw attempts (58.8%) … Atlanta shot just 37.2%, but stayed in the game thanks to a season-low six turnovers… The Hawks' Mike Bibby left in the first quarter with a sprained ankle.
Milwaukee 103, Memphis 98
Studs: Brandon Jennings led all scorers with 26 points and Ersan Ilyasova added 18 points and 12 rebounds as the Bucks improved to 8-3.Rudy Gay (24 points and 10 rebounds) and Marc Gasol (14 points and 14 rebounds) had double-doubles to lead the Grizzlies.
Duds: O.J. Mayo was just 6-for-18 and reserves Marcus Williams and DeMarre Carroll combined to go 0-for-9 in 39 minutes for Memphis.
Game Notes: Jennings scored 24 of his 26 points in the second half against Memphis, one of the eight teams that passed over him in the 2009 NBA Draft… The Bucks' Charlie Bell had a season-high with 19 points, while teammate Luke Ridnour had a season-best 12 assists… Andrew Bogut missed his first game of the season suffering from a strained left leg… Memphis' bench has been outscored in every game this season… The Grizzlies' Marc Gasol went 6-for-8, and is now 27-for-32in his last four games (84.4%).
Houston 113, Sacramento 106
Studs: Luis Scola led the Rockets with 22 points and 12 rebounds, and reserve Carl Landry added 20 points and seven rebounds.Spencer Hawes led all scorers with 24 points and added nine rebounds and two blocks for the Kings, who also got 18 points and eight rebounds from Beno Udrih.
Duds: Andres Nocioni returned from injury to shoot just 6-for-16 for Sacramento and Kenny Thomas picked up four fouls in 14 minutes, while shooting just 1-for-4 from the free throw line.Houston shot just 3-for-18 as a team from behind the 3-point line.
Game Notes: The Rockets played fundamentally sound, making 24-of-26 free throw attempts (92.3%) and committing just eight turnovers… The teams combined for 122 points in the paint… Sacramento has scored over 100 points in seven of their last eight games… The Kings' prized rookie Tyreke Evans missed the game with a sprained finger.
San Antonio 106, Washington 84
Studs: Tony Parker returned from injury and looked rejuvenated, tallying 17 points, six rebounds, and eight assists in the win.Tim Duncan added 16 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists for the Spurs.Gilbert Arenas had a team-high 18 points for Washington, and Antawn Jamison added 15 points and seven rebounds.
Duds: The Wizards' top reserves, Randy Foye (2-for-10), Andray Blatche (2-for-8), DeShawn Stevenson (0-for-4), and Earl Boykins (3-for-10), combined to shoot just 21.9% from the field, as the team shot 33.3%.George Hill was 3-for-10 off San Antonio's bench.
Game Notes: The teams combined for just 17 turnovers (eight by San Antonio and nine by Washington)… The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Spurs, while the Wizards have now lost 8-of-9… After the game, Arenas complained that teammates had "individual goals" and "hidden agendas", claiming that he had "converted [his] game to get people involved".He had two assists and 18 field goal attempts… Washington's Mike Miller strained his right calf and could miss up to a month.
Denver 112, Chicago 93
Studs: Carmelo Anthony had 30 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, and two steals; and Chauncey Billups got back on the right track for the Nuggets, adding 21 points of his own on 5-for-9 shooting.Derrick Rose had a season-high 28 points for the Bulls, while Luol Deng added 22 points and four blocks in the loss.
Duds: John Salmons was 3-for-11, and Rose's backup, Kirk Hinrich was 3-for-10.Aaron Afflalo missed six shots and contributed just one rebound, with three fouls and two turnovers in 19 minutes for Denver.
Game Notes: Chicago committed only 16 team fouls, leading to 26 Denver free throw attempts.Conversely, the Nuggets committed 21 fouls, which led to 24 Chicago free throws… Denver reserves J.R. Smith and Ty Lawson combined for a +/- ratio of +47… Denver outscored the Bulls in the paint by a margin of 52-34… Anthony reached the 30-point mark for the ninth time in 13 games.
Utah 100, Detroit 97 (OT)
Studs: Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko had 22 points apiece and Deron Williams added 14 points, 11 assists, and three blocks as the Jazz got a big overtime win against Detroit.Ben Gordon led the Pistons with 25 points on 10-for-20 shooting and Will Bynum led Detroit's reserves with 16.
Duds: Charlie Villanueva and Rodney Stuckey combined to shoot 13-for-33 for the Pistons.Williams and Ronnie Brewer combined to shoot 6-for-13 from the free throw line in the win.
Game Notes: Utah has won four games in a row and now sits above .500 at 7-6… Gordon, Bynum, Villanueva, and Stuckey combined to score 76 of Detroit's 97 points… Gordon missed a 3-pointer that would have sent the game into double overtime.
Portland 106, Minnesota 78
Studs: Martell Webster had season-highs with 21 points and 13 rebounds in his return to Portland's starting lineup, and Steve Blake chipped in with 14 points and nine assists in the win.Al Jefferson looked more like his old self, posting 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Duds: Jonny Flynn had another off night, shooting just 3-for-11 for the Timberwolves, who struggled as a team offensively.Oleksiy Pecherov (12 points) joined Jefferson as the only Wolves in double figures.Rudy Fernandez was 1-for-9 for Portland.
Game Notes: Portland is 2-0 against Minnesota this season, with both wins coming by 23 points… The Timberwolves have now lost 12 straight after a season-opening win against winless New Jersey… Minnesota made all 18 of their free throw attempts… Webster made three consecutive 3-pointers in the third quarter to put the game away for the Blazers.
Studs: LeBron James led the Cavaliers with 40 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists; and Anthony Parker and Anderson Varejao were each 5-for-6 from the field.Danny Granger had 19 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and three blocks in the loss.
Duds: Granger shot just 7-for-21 and Roy Hibbert picked up five quick fouls in just 16 minutes of action.Zydrunas Ilgauskas was 1-for-12 and Mo Williams was 3-for-11 with five turnovers for Cleveland.
Game Notes: Pacers' power forward Troy Murphy came off the bench after missing the last six games with a lower back bruise.He posted 12 points and 10 rebounds in 24 minutes… Cleveland shot an equal 46.2% from the field and 3-point range…Indiana outscored the Cavs 21-11 in the third quarter and had a five-point lead to start the fourth, but James scored 10 points over the final 7:07 to secure the win… Varejao had missed the prior to games for Cleveland, who is still without center Shaquille O'Neal.
Memphis 102, Philadelphia 97
Studs: Rudy Gay had 33 points, 10 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks; and Zach Randolph notched a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds as Memphis got their third straight win.Lou Williams led the 76ers with a career-high 31 points and Elton Brand had another strong game, with 22 points, four steals, and four blocks in the loss.
Duds: Iguodala was just 5-for-17 for Philadelphia, who only got more than seven points from three players (Iguodala, Williams, and Brand).Mike Conley shot 1-for-6 for the Grizzlies, and his backup, Marcus Williams committed six turnovers in just 19 minutes.
Game Notes: The win was the Grizzlies' first in Philadelphia since February 2005… Memphis outrebounded the 76ers 48-28… The three-game winning streak is Memphis' first since 2005.Marc Gasol was 21-for-24 in the three wins… 76ers' center Primoz Brezec made his first appearance of the season, missing all three of his shots, while gathering two offensive rebounds and a block in four minutes.
Toronto 120, Miami 113
Studs: Chris Bosh had 29 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks; and Andrea Bargnani added 24 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks as Toronto got a big win over Miami.Dwyane Wade and Mario Chalmers had 30 points each for the Heat.
Duds: Starter James Jones was just 2-for-7 and Miami's bench combined to shoot 3-for-13 with just 10 points.Bargnani, Hedo Turkoglu, and DeMar DeRozan had four turnovers apiece for the Raptors.
Game Notes: Toronto shot 57.1% from the field and 60% from 3-point range, and won the game despite committing 20 turnovers compared to just 9 for the Heat… The Raptors entered the game on a three-game losing streak that saw them 2 games below .500 at 5-7… Toronto shot 19-for-24 and scored 43 points in the second quarter… Miami played without two of their top six players, as Quentin Richardson (back) and Udonis Haslem (shoulder) missed the game.
Atlanta 105, Houston 103
Studs: Atlanta continued their impressive start with a win over Houston, led by 29 points from Marvin Williams and 21 from Jamal Crawford.Carl Landry had 18 points and eight rebounds, and Luis Scola had 17 points and 10 boards for the Rockets.
Duds: Houston's centers, Chuck Hayes and David Anderson combined to shoot 5-for-12, with nine fouls in just 30 minutes.Mike Bibby was 3-for-9 shooting, and Josh Smith played just 24 minutes due to foul trouble, shooting 3-for-7 from the field and 3-for-6 from the line.
Game Notes: Houston had the edge in turnovers (15-12) and rebounding (42-39), and attempted 14 more field goals, but only converted 42.4% of their attempts, compared to 50% for the Hawks… The Rockets won the battle for the paint 52-40… Atlanta is now 11-2 thanks to Josh Smith's game-winning tip-in with .7 seconds remaining… Williams's 29 points came on 13-for-19 shooting.
Orlando 83, Boston 78
Studs: Vince Carter had 26 points, six rebounds, and six assists; and Dwight Howard added nine points and 15 rebounds as the magic left Boston with a win.Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 21 points.
Duds: Eddie House was 1-for-7, Rajon Rondo was 3-for-11, and Rasheed Wallace was 4-for-16, as Boston shot just 34.5% as a team and 10.5% from 3-point range.Carter's 26 points came on 10-for-29 shooting, while Orlando's bench chipped in just 11 points.
Game Notes: Boston's offense couldn't take advantage of a golden opportunity, as Orlando shot 41.4% from the field and 57.7% from the line, committed 20 turnovers, and managed just 24 points in the paint… Boston is now 1-3 on Fridays this season and 8-1 for the rest of the week… Celtics' coach Doc Rivers called his team's performance "awful".
Oklahoma City 127, Washington 108
Studs: Oklahoma City played 10 men, six of who scored, and had five players in double figures, led by 35 from Kevin Durant, 26 from Russell Westbrook, and 25 from rookie James Harden.The trio combined to shoot 26-for-45 (57.8%).Jeff Green added 19 and Thabo Sefolosha chipped in with 16.Caron Butler led the Wizards with 24 points, and Antawn Jamison (22 points and 12 rebounds) and Brendan Haywood (14 points and 16 rebounds) notched double-doubles.
Duds: Gilbert Arenas scored 23 points, but shot just 7-for-20 and committed three turnovers for Washington, who turned it over 20 times as a team.Only two Oklahoma City players shot below 50% from the field- Kevin Ollie and Etan Thomas were each 0-for-2.
Game Notes: The 127-point performance was a season high for the Thunder… Harden has now scored 49 points in his last two games after scoring just 64 in his first 11 games as a pro.He also added a game-high four steals in 26 minutes… Mike Miller went to the locker room in the first quarter after injuring his left arm (the same arm he injured against Cleveland earlier this moth), but returned to the game.
Dallas 104, Sacramento 102
Studs: Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry scored 20 points apiece, and Jason Kidd and Kris Humphries added 15 each as Dallas survived with a win over the surprising Kings.Rookie Tyreke Evans led Sacramento with 29 points, seven rebounds, and 10 assists.
Duds: Sacramento's bench was just 3-for-13 with 14 points.The Kings also committed 21 turnovers, including five by Evans and four by Jason Thompson.
Game Notes: The Kings shot 53.1% from the floor, compared to just 45.2% for Dallas, but attempted 12 less shots because of their turnover problems… The Mavericks' reserves scored 25 of the team's 36 fourth-quarter points, led by 12 in the frame by Jason Terry… Twenty-six of Sacramento's first 28 points came from the painted area… Evans has now scored 20 points or more in six straight games.
Milwaukee 95, Charlotte 88
Studs: Brandon Jennings led all scorers with 29 points on 12-for-23 shooting, and Hakim Warrick added 16 points and nine rebounds off the Bucks' bench.Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson had 22 points apiece for the Bobcats.
Duds: Raymond Felton and D.J. Agustin combined to shoot 1-for-8 with four points, two assists, and four turnovers in 43 minutes.Carlos Delfino was 3-for-12 for Milwaukee.
Game Notes: Charlotte shot 50.8% from the field, compared to just 41.5% for the Bucks.However, the Bobcats missed 17 free throws on their way to shooting 60.5% (26-for-43) from the charity stripe… Milwaukee attempted 82 field goals compared to 59 for Charlotte… The 7-3 Bucks are off to their best start since 2001.Charlotte, on the other hand, has lost seven straight games after a 3-2 start… Andrew Bogut missed the game with a strained left leg, and is expected to miss two-to-four weeks.
Golden State 108, Portland 94
Studs: Monta Ellis had 34 points, eight assists, and six steals; and Anthony Morrow made 8-of-13 shots on his way to 23 points as Golden State pulled an upset against the Blazers.Rudy Fernandez led Portland with 19 points off the bench.Brandon Roy had 17 points and Greg Oden added 16 in a losing effort.
Duds: Roy was just 6-for-17 and LaMarcus Aldridge was 4-for-10, as the Trail Blazers shot just 41.8% as a team.Stephen Curry fouled out after shooting just 3-for-9 for the short-handed Warriors.
Game Notes: Morrow and Ellis each played all 48 minutes, and Curry logged 46 minutes before fouling out… Golden State outscored the Blazers on the fast break to the tune of 36-9… Golden State signed orward Steven Hunter from the Developmental League before the game to make the NBA minimum of eight players.Hunter made both of his shots, posting four points, three rebounds, a steal, and a block in 14 minutes… Portland hasn't won at Golden State since November 3, 2004.
LA Clippers 106, Denver 99
Studs: The Clippers made it 2-for-2 in West Coast upsets on Friday night behind a season-high 27 points from Rasual Butler and 18 points from Al Thornton.Carmelo Anthony led all scorers with 37 points, and Nene added 18 points, 12 rebounds, and three steals for the Nuggets.
Duds: Starters Chauncey Billups and Aaron Afflalo made just one field goal apiece, combining to shoot 2-for-9.Sixth man J.R. Smith was just 4-for-13 and 1-for-7 from 3-point range.Baron Davis was 3-for-11 and Chris Kaman was 4-for-10 with four turnovers for the Clippers.
Game Notes: Both teams shot 27-for-33 from the free throw line, and the Clippers shot 49.3% from the field, compared to 48.6% for Denver.The difference was from the outside.Each side attempted 17 3-pointers, with the L.A. connected on seven and the Nuggets only netting three… The Clippers recorded 28 assists on 36 made field goals… Anthony has scored above 20 points in each game this season, and has reached 30 points in eight of 12 games.
Studs: Peja Stojakovic had his best game of the season with 25 points and 13 rebounds and rookie Marcus Thornton added 19 off the bench as the Hornets handed Phoenix their worst loss of the season.Amare Stoudemire led the Suns with 23 points and Jared Dudley made five 3-pointers on his way to 17 points.
Duds: Channing Frye was 4-for-15 and Grant Hill was 4-for-11, while Stoudemire and Steve Nash combined for eight turnovers in the loss.David West was 2-for-11 and rookie Darren Collison started the game 1-for-11 before making three shots late to finish 4-for-15 for New Orleans.
Game Notes: Eight Hornets recorded offensive rebounds, as the team collected 25 and outrebounded Phoenix 56-38, resulting in a 97-83 advantage in field goal attempts… New Orleans shot 13-for-25 (52%) from 3-point range, led by a 7-for-11 showing by the rejuvenated Stojakovic… The Suns' first two losses came against two NBA Finalists from last season, the Magic and the Lakers.
Utah 90, San Antonio 83
Studs: Utah has their first back-to-back wins of the season thanks to 21 points and 10 assists from Deron Williams and 20 points and seven assists from Paul Milsap.Carlos Boozer added 18 points and 11 boards in the win.Tim Duncan had 21 points and nine rebounds to lead the Spurs, who also got 18 points from George Hill, and 16 points and six rebounds from Richard Jefferson.
Duds: Keith Bogans got the start with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili injured, and shot just 2-for-6.Michael Finley came off the bench, and went scoreless in 23 minutes, missing all six of his field goals.
Game Notes: The win pulls the Jazz back to .500 at 6-6, and marks Utah's first regular-season win in San Antonio since February 28, 1999, a stretch of 20 games… San Antonio has lost three straight and is one off to one of the NBA's most disappointing starts at 4-6… Ginobili is expected to miss about a week with a strained groin, while Parker is day-to-day with a sprained ankle… Mehmet Okur missed his second straight game due to flu-like symptoms.
LA Lakers 108, Chicago 93
Studs: Pau Gasol looked to be in mid-season form in his season debut, posting 24 points and 13 rebounds in the Lakers' win over Chicago.Kobe Bryant added 21 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists; and Derek Fisher made all five of his shots on his way to 12 points.Derrick Rose had 20 points and six assists, and Joakim Noah had 12 points and 15 rebounds for the Bulls.
Duds: Luol Deng was 3-for-11 with six points and six rebounds in 31 minutes for Chicago, while Noah missed all three of his free throw attempts and committed four turnovers.Bryant was just 7-for-21 from the field.
Game Notes: Bryant passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for second on the Lakers' career scoring list.He now trials franchise-leader Jerry West by less than 1000 points… Lamar Odom needed six stitches after the game following a hard foul by Kirk Hinrich in the third quarter.
Studs: Joe Johnson shot 11-for-21 on his way to 30 points and Josh Smith filled the stat sheet with 16 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and two blocks as Atlanta got a big win over division rival Miami.Michael Beasley led the Heat with 21 points and nine rebounds, and Dwyane Wade added 15 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
Duds: Wade shot just 6-for-18 and committed four turnovers.Miami's Daequan Cook, and Atlanta's Mike Bibby and Jamal Crawford were all 3-for-10 from the field.
Game Notes: Atlanta posted a 23-8 assist-to-turnover ratio.They also outscored the Heat 44-28 in the paint… The Hawks have now won six straight games and are again tied with Phoenix for the best record in the NBA… Smith tallied 11 points, five rebounds, and a steal during a 28-8 Atlanta run over the final eight minutes of the first half… Udonis Haslem was inactive with a shoulder injury and Quentin Richardson left in the third quarter with a lower back strain… The game marked the Hawks' first sellout of the season.
New York 110, Indiana 103
Studs: New York slipped past the surging Pacers behind 26 points from Al Harrington and 22 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists from Larry Hughes.Danny Granger was 12-for-18 from the field on his way to 33 points and seven rebounds, and Dahntay Jones added 25 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks in the loss.
Duds: Indiana's backcourt rotation of T.J. Ford, Brandon Rush, Earl Watson, and Luther Head shot a combined 3-for-25 (12%) from the field.Granger played a great game, but scored just three of his 33 after the half because of foul trouble.He was disqualified after just 34 minutes of action. Starters Danilo Gallinari, Chris Duhon, and Toney Douglas combined to shoot 2-for-10 for the Knicks.
Game Notes: Coming into the game, Indiana had won five straight, while the Knicks had lost six straight… Mike D'Antonio admitted that the Knicks plan to court Allen Iverson in the near future… Eddy Curry made his first appearance of the season for New York, posting 10 points and four rebounds in 12 minutes… The Knicks scored 32 points off of 20 Indiana turnovers… The Pacers shot 59% in the first half, but just 24% in the second.
Orlando 108, Oklahoma City 94
Studs: Rashard Lewis led the Magic with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists in just his second game back from suspension, and Vince Carter added 28.James Harden had a career-high 24 points off the bench to lead the Thunder.
Duds: Oklahoma City's starters were just 14-for-45 from the field with 37 points.They also committed nine of the team's 12 turnovers.
Game Notes: Lewis was pulled from the game at the end of the third quarter, ending up one assist shy of his first NBA triple-double… Orlando led by 18 at halftime and 30 after three quarters, allowing them to rest their starters.Dwight Howard played just 18 minutes… Orlando attempted over 30 3-pointers for the second straight game, making 13-of-31 (41.9%)… Orlando's Jameer Nelson had arthroscopic knee surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn meniscus and will miss four-to-six weeks… Harden made 6-of-7 3-point attempts and scored in double figures for the first time in his NBA career.
Philadelphia 86, Charlotte 84
Studs: Andre Iguodala had a team-high 25 points and Elton Brand looked like his old self against the Bobcats.The two-time All-Star had 19 points, 11 rebounds, three steals, and six blocks as the 76ers got a big win over Charlotte.Stephen Jackson led all scorers with 26 points in the loss.
Duds: Jackson was the only Bobcat with more than 11 points.Flip Murray was 1-for-7 from 3-point range and 4-for-11 from the field.Thaddeus Young was 2-for-10 for Philadelphia.
Game Notes: Lou Williams, who matched Brand with 19 points, made the decisive layup with 3.1 seconds left to give the 76ers the win… Charlotte has lost six straight and is now 0-6 on the road this season… Tyson Chandler left the game after being bothered by back spasms in the second quarter… Philadelphia's Rodney Carney played a season-high 31 minutes, posting 10 points and eight rebounds off the bench.
Washington 108, Cleveland 91
Studs: Antawn Jamison's return from injury may mark a turning point for the Wizards' season.The 12th-year power forward posted 31 points and 10 rebounds in his first game of the season, leading Washington to a huge win over the red-hot Cavaliers.LeBron James led Cleveland with 34 points and nine assists, and Darnell Jackson had a career game with 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
Duds: Cleveland's starting backcourt struggled mightily, as Mo Williams was 2-for-13 and Anthony Parker was 2-for-7 for the short-handed Cavs.Gilbert Arenas shot 6-for-22 for the Wizards.
Game Notes: Cleveland was whistled for 26 fouls, compared to just 15 for the Wizards, which led to a +17 advantage for Washington at the free throw line… The Cavs led by 17 in the second quarter, but were outscored 64-40 in the second half… James had seven first quarter assists, but struggled in the second half and injured his left wrist on a fourth quarter dunk… Mike Miller had another strong game, with 17 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in the win.
Boston 109, Golden State 95
Studs: The Celtics had six players in double figures, including all five starters, and were led by 19 points from Paul Pierce and 18 points, seven rebounds, and 12 assists from Rajon Rondo.Corey Maggette led the Warriors with 23 points.
Duds: Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, and Anthony Randolph combined to shoot 16-for-42 with 12 of the Warriors' 21 turnovers.
Game Notes: Boston shot 52% from the field but only 63% from the free throw line… The Celtics scored 26 points off 21 Golden State turnovers, while the Warriors only got 11 points off 18 Boston giveaways… Kevin Garnett hit a turn-around 75-footer at the first half buzzer, but replay confirmed the shot shouldn't count… Raja Bell made three 3-pointers and scored 11 points in his Warriors' debut.He will have surgery on his injured left wrist on Thursday.
Milwaukee 99, New Jersey 85
Studs: Andrew Bogut and Carlos Delfino scored 21 points apiece and Brandon Jennings added 19 points and eight assists as Milwaukee came from behind to clip the Nets.Chris Douglas-Roberts had his second straight double-double, with 31 points and 10 rebounds, and rookie Terrence Williams had his first career double-double, tallying 20 points and 10 boards in the loss.
Duds: Rafer Alston was 1-for-10 and New Jersey's thin bench combined to shoot 5-for-16 with 14 points.Jennings committed a career-high eight turnovers.
Game Notes: Things looked promising after the Nets built a seven-point halftime lead, behind a 29-point second quarter, but the tides turned quickly.Milwaukee began the second half on a 15-0 run, and outscored the Nets 28-12 in the third… Williams made seven shots in a row in the second quarter and scored 16 points in the period… New Jersey has a golden opportunity to break their losing streak on Saturday, when the New York Knicks come to town.
Houston 97, Minnesota 84
Studs: Luis Scola led the Rockets with 20 points and 16 rebounds, and Trevor Ariza made four 3-pointers on his way to 18 points.Al Jefferson finally looked like himself for Minnesota, tallying 20 points, 10 rebounds, three steals, and two blocks in his first game back after attending his grandmother's funeral.
Duds: Sasha Pavlovic shot 2-for-11 and rookie Jonny Flynn had arguably his worst game of the season, shooting 4-for-12 and committing three turnovers.Fellow rookie Chase Budinger was 1-for-7 for Houston, who also saw Aaron Brooks commit 8 turnovers.
Game Notes: Houston committed 21 turnovers, to match their assist total, but the Timberwolves exceeded theirs.They got 17 assists on 36 made baskets and committed 22 turnovers… Jefferson was inadvertently kicked in the head by Houston's Carl Landry in the fourth quarter, but stayed in the game… Minnesota has lost 11 straight games, the last seven of which by double figures.
Memphis 106, LA Clippers 91
Studs: Memphis won this clash of the titans behind 21 points apiece from Zach Randolph and Rudy Gay.They also got 16 each from Marc Gasol and O.J. Mayo.Baron Davis led the Clippers with 23 points and five assists.
Duds: Rasual Butler was 3-for-9 from the field and Davis made just 6-of-10 free throw attempts, while the Clippers allowed Memphis to shoot 54.3% from the field.
Game Notes: Jamaal Tinsley made his first appearance with Memphis, gathering two rebounds and a steal on 0-for-2 shooting, with a turnover and two fouls in 6 minutes.Tinsely hadn't played since the middle of the 2007-2008 season… Marc Gasol made his first seven shots after making all eight against Minnesota on Saturday to set the franchise record with 15 straight makes… Memphis has now won two games in a row over powerhouses Minnesota and the Clippers.
Utah 104, Toronto 91
Studs: Deron Williams returned to the lineup for Utah, but Eric Maynor kept playing like a starter as Utah beat the Raptors.Williams posted 20 points and nine assists, while the rookie tallied 15 points and six assists.Carlos Boozer had 22 points and 18 rebounds, and Andrei Kirilenko came off the bench with 20 points and seven boards.Chris Bosh led the way for Toronto with 32 points and 17 rebounds and Marco Belinelli had another good game off the bench with 19 points.
Duds: Bosh and Belinelli combined to shoot 20-for-39 (51.3%), but the rest of the Raptors managed just 14-for-52 (26.9%).
Game Notes: Utah dominated down low, outscoring the Raptors 54-36 in the paint.The Jazz also recorded 25 assists to Toronto's 14… Toronto cut an 18-point Jazz lead to just one early in the fourth, before a 17-2 Utah run sealed the victory.
Dallas 99, San Antonio 94 (OT)
Studs: Dirk Nowitzki notched his 14th career 40-point game and added 12 rebounds as Dallas won their fourth straight game.Drew Gooden chipped in with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Jason Kidd added 11 boards, eight assists, and four steals.Tim Duncan led the Spurs with 22 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, and four blocks.
Duds: Duncan shot just 8-for-22 and teammate Roger Mason was just 2-for-8 as San Antonio let this one slip away.Jason Terry was 4-for-19 for Dallas, while Kidd and Quentin Ross combined to shoot just 2-for-11.
Game Notes: This game was fairly even in most statistical categories except for three.San Antonio had a +12 advantage from beyond the 3-point line, while Dallas outscored the Spurs 46-22 in the paint and won the turnover battle 18-5.Consequently, the Mavericks had 22 more field goal attempts and six more makes, despite shooting a lower percentage… Nowitzki single-handedly outscored the Spurs in overtime 11-10… Dallas was playing without three starters, as Erick Dampier missed the game with illness and Shawn Marion and Josh Howard were sidelined with ankle injuries… Manu Ginobili left in the first quarter with a strained groin and did not return.He will sit out San Antonio's next game against Utah.
Portland 87, Detroit 81
Studs: Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points each and Andre Miller added 10 points and 11 assists as Portland held on to beat the Pistons.Rodney Stuckey had a game-high 21 points for Detroit, who also got 20 points from Charlie Villanueva.
Duds: Stuckey shot 3-for-11 in the first half and 3-for-10 in the second to finish 6-for-21.Ben Gordon was 4-for-12.Martell Webster missed three shot and picked up three quick fouls in 12 minutes off the Blazers' bench.
Game Notes: Portland led by 10 at halftime and 20 after three quarters, but Detroit made a torrid 27-8 run in the fourth, cutting the lead to just one with 65 seconds to play… Portland's Travis Outlaw had surgery Wednesday to repair a broken foot.He's expected to miss three-to-five months… Portland had 25 assists on 33 made field goals, compared to just 13 assists on 31 baskets for the Pistons.
