NBA Daily Results

vs(From the Associated Press) - Miami coach Erik Spoelstra believes two days can change the Heat’s season. Two wins in two days at least lifted the team’s mood entering the All-Star break. Jermaine O’Neal scored 19 points, Dwyane Wade had 18 and Miami took advantage of Atlanta’s thin bench to beat the Hawks 94-76 on Wednesday night. Miami pulled away with a 10-0 run in the final period...Daequan Cook led the Heat reserves with 17 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, and Udonis Haslem added 14 as Miami’s backups outscored their Hawks counterparts 45-8...Miami outscored Atlanta 27-12 in the fourth period. Each team was playing for the second straight day, but only the Hawks lacked energy. “Just an awful fourth quarter,” Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. “We just ran out of juice or just didn’t have the energy to get through it.” Josh Smith scored 18 points to lead Atlanta and Joe Johnson had 16 on 7-for-21 shooting. “It’s kind of frustrating when you don’t give yourself a chance to win from the beginning,” Smith said. “We really didn’t come to play today.”

vs(From the Associated Press) - Elton Brand had a big problem when Philadelphia coach Eddie Jordan decided to go small. Chris Bosh had 23 points and 12 rebounds, and Jose Calderon converted a go-ahead four-point play as the Toronto Raptors held on to extend their home winning streak to eight games with a 104-93 victory over the 76ers on Wednesday night. Brand was upset that Jordan replaced him with guard Royal Ivey to start the second half with the 76ers facing a 50-41 deficit. Ivey played the entire third quarter while Brand was on the bench until 1:48 remained in the third—by which time Philadelphia trailed 76-53...While the lineup switch didn’t work out, 76ers guard Louis Williams didn’t consider it a failure. “I wouldn’t say it backfired because guys took the message,” Williams said. “The message was, ‘If you guys don’t want to play, especially before the (All-Star) break, we’ll play other guys.’ Once other guys came in the game, the message was very clear. We played that second half like we should have played the first half.”Andrea Bargnani scored 16 points, and DeMar DeRozan and Sonny Weems each had 14 as the Raptors topped 100 for the 17th consecutive game. Calderon and Amir Johnson each scored 10 points for the Raptors, who have won 14 of 15 at home. Williams scored 26 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, and Thaddeus Young had 15 for the 76ers in the final game before the break for both teams...Brand had 11 points, and Willie Green scored 10 for Philadelphia.

vs(From the Associated Press) - Beno Udrih was known to most Detroit Pistons fans as the San Antonio point guard who struggled against Chauncey Billups in the 2005 NBA finals. They might remember him differently now. Udrih scored 18 of his 22 points in the first half as his Sacramento Kings beat the Pistons 103-97 on Wednesday night. He had played just six minutes of an overtime win in New York the previous night...Kevin Martin led the Kings with 26 points, while Andres Nocioni added 13 and Tyreke Evans had seven of his 13 in the final five minutes...Tayshaun Prince led the Pistons with 23, while Rodney Stuckey finished with 17. Detroit has lost five of six at home, with the only win coming over hapless New Jersey. “This was very disappointing,” said Charlie Villanueva, who finished with 11 points off the bench. “We gave them that game.” Richard Hamilton and Ben Gordon combined for 17 points on 5-for-26 shooting in 50 minutes. Gordon went 0 for 8. “Those are two guys that are outstanding scorers, and we’ve got to find them a way to get into our offensive flow,” Kuester said. “Rip had some good looks tonight, but we’ve got to create something for Ben.”

vs(From the Associated Press) - In front of about 1,000 fans, the New Jersey Nets lost for the 48th time before the All-Star break, trounced 97-77 by the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night. Andrew Bogut scored 22 points and Ersan Ilyasova added 18 for Milwaukee...“Fans couldn’t get out, but it was tough to generate energy you need in a situation like this. Unfortunately we didn’t,” Nets forward Jarvis Hayes said...New Jersey, led by Devin Harris with 27 points, extended its latest losing streak to eight games. The Nets head into the All-Star break at 4-48, the same record the Philadelphia 76ers had when they recorded an NBA-worst 9-73 mark for the 1972-73 season...The Bucks used an 18-1 run that bridged the third and fourth quarters to pull away. Leading 68-60 to start the fourth quarter, Milwaukee scored 10 straight points—including five from Luke Ridnour (17 points)—to open up a 78-60 lead with 8:57 left. “We had an up-tick in our energy level,” Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. “We played well defensively and it paid off for us.” Courtney Lee (11 points) temporarily stopped the deluge for the Nets with a 3-pointer, but Carlos Delfino answered right back with his own 3...The Bucks, now 3-0 against New Jersey this season, head into the break with their sites set on a playoff position after dropping a forgettable 93-81 decision to the Detroit Pistons. Skiles deemed it “one of the worst losses or our season” as the Bucks had their seven-game home winning streak end by scoring just nine points in the first quarter and shooting a season-low 36.6 percent. “You are going to have games like last night,” said Bogut, who connected on 11 of 22 shots. “But you just have to move forward. You have to forget about the previous night.”

vs(From the Associated Press) - Darren Collison didn’t look like a rookie when he took over the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics...“Until they stop having me come in with doughnuts and carrying that (suitcase), I’m still a rookie,” Collison said. “I like being a rookie. You learn a lot. … I can’t see why anybody doesn’t like being a rookie.” Easy for him to say after he scored 13 of his 25 points in the final period to lift New Orleans to a 93-85 comeback win Wednesday night...Peja Stojakovic scored 20 for New Orleans and Morris Peterson had 16 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double in more than two seasons. David West added 15 points to help the Hornets go into the All-Star break with two wins in their last three games. Paul Pierce scored 15 points for the Celtics, who played without starting guard Ray Allen (back spasms) in their second straight loss. Marquis Daniels added 14 points for Boston, which missed 11 free throws—clanking 10 of 13 in the second half—while squandering a 12-point halftime lead. “It’s tough to win games when you turn the ball over and miss free throws,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said...Pierce committed eight turnovers and scored only two points in the second half. Kevin Garnett had seven points and seven rebounds in 26:29 and did not score in the second half, missing an open but rushed fastbreak layup in the final minute when Boston trailed by six. “Our starters struggled,” Rivers said. “Kevin struggled in the second half and Paul forced too much due to the struggling of the team.”



vs(From the Associated Press) - Nazr Mohammed was trying desperately for his career-best 21st rebound. His 21st point of the game was even more important. With time running out and Charlotte trailing by a point, Mohammed couldn’t corral Boris Diaw’s missed shot. But Minnesota Timberwolves forward Corey Brewer saved the ball, which landed in the hands of Mohammed, whose game-winning dunk gave the Bobcats a 93-92 victory Wednesday night. Stephen Jackson scored a game-high 33 points, but only two in a fourth quarter that required Mohammed’s good fortune...After falling behind by 21 in the second quarter, Minnesota trimmed the lead to 10 points after three before going on a furious fourth-quarter rally. The Timberwolves outscored Charlotte 22-13 in the final frame and took a three-point lead on Al Jefferson’s jump-hook with less than a minute to play. Diaw cut the deficit to a point with a layup 7 seconds later, leading to Mohammed’s decisive dunk. Wayne Ellington’s 30-footer bounced harmlessly off the rim at the buzzer...Diaw added 15 points and D.J. Augustin scored 12 in his first start of the season in place of an injured Raymond Felton. Jefferson scored 19 points for Minnesota, while Ryan Gomes chipped in 15 points. Ramon Sessions and Ellington also finished in double figures with 13 points apiece. Already without Felton due to a sprained right ankle, Charlotte also overcame an off-night for Gerald Wallace. The franchise’s first All-Star shot just 1 for 9 and finished with five points to go with nine rebounds.

vs(From the Associated Press) - Dwight Howard insisted his intentions were pure, that he was simply trying to block a layup and in no way meant to injure Derrick Rose. It’s just that the lane can be a dangerous place. Particularly when “Superman” is lurking. “He hit the ‘Man of Steel,”’ Howard said. Howard had 18 points and 14 rebounds, and the Orlando Magic pulled away early for a 107-87 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night for their 10th win in 12 games...Howard had his league-leading 41st double-double, while Vince Carter scored 15 points after pouring in a season-high 48 in a win over New Orleans on Monday. Matt Barnes added 14 for the Magic, who had seven players in double figures. “We had so many guys rolling tonight,” Carter said. Luol Deng led Chicago with 23 points, his fourth straight game with 20 or more, but the Bulls never had a chance—particularly after Rose went down, throwing his status for the weekend’s All-Star game into question...“Hopefully, he’s OK,” Howard said. “It’s never my intention to hurt him or anybody, but it’s my job to protect the basket.” Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said: “I don’t think there was anything intended there at all, just to try to block a shot.”...The Magic followed up a 68-point second half in Monday’s win over New Orleans with their second-most prolific quarter this season. They hit 15 of 22 shots in the opening period, including 11 of their first 13 while jumping out to a 30-11 lead. With a 9-6 lead after Rose’s three-point play, they scored 11 straight to break it open—a layup by Barnes, a 3-pointer by Rashard Lewis and another layup by Barnes capping that run...“(Rose) does so much for us. But from the beginning, we were kind of out to lunch,” Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich said.

vs(From the Associated Press) - The depleted Portland Trail Blazers straggled into Phoenix at 3 a.m. after an embarrassing home loss. The Suns were waiting, with five days’ rest and a five-game winning streak, knowing the Blazers hadn’t won in Phoenix for a long, long time. What followed was a 108-101 victory for Portland in one of the Blazers’ best offensive games of the season and a Suns performance that left Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry steaming...Steve Blake had 20 points and 12 assists, both season highs for Portland, coming off an 89-77 home loss to Oklahoma City on Tuesday night. Blake didn’t start in that game and went scoreless, going 0 for 5 in 23 1/2 minutes. Still, coach Nate McMillan decided to start Blake alongside Andre Miller, with Nicolas Batum going to the bench...LaMarcus Aldridge led five Portland players in double figures with 22 points. Amare Stoudemire scored 24 for Phoenix. Steve Nash had 15 points and 11 assists, but shot just 6 of 16 with five turnovers. The Trail Blazers last won in Phoenix on Feb. 4, 2004, but they have beaten the Suns four straight times—three in Portland—for the first time since Dec. 5, 1999...“They outhustled us, they came up with big plays, they made good passes,” Gentry said. “They did everything that we didn’t do. … We weren’t ready to play and we didn’t play with a whole lot of energy and passion, and when we don’t do that, we’re not very good. We become a very, very, very average team.”

vs(From the Associated Press) - Kobe Bryant sat out his third straight game and his teammates responded with their third consecutive win without their injured superstar, beating Utah 96-81 Wednesday night and ending the Jazz’s nine-game winning streak. “This is a good team no matter who’s in or who’s out of the lineup,” said Lamar Odom, who had 25 points and 11 rebounds for Los Angeles. “We’ve got a lot of guys that can play.” Pau Gasol had 22 points, 19 rebounds and five blocks and Jordan Farmar added 18 points for Los Angeles, which enters the All-Star break with the best record in the Western Conference at 41-13...“Where our energy was is beyond me,” Utah coach Jerry Sloan said. “Our energy level was very, very low. Give them credit. They are a terrific team. That’s why they are the world champions.” Deron Williams had 11 points, 10 assists and was one rebound short of a triple-double for Utah. Carlos Boozer had 11 points and 10 rebounds and Andrei Kirilenko finished with 17 points, four blocks and five rebounds. Wesley Matthews added 13 points for the Jazz, who lost for the first time since Jan. 17. “They had more energy than us tonight,” Williams said. “They played harder, competed harder and looked like they wanted the game more.”...“We finished strong,” Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson said. “We played well with the limited lineup that we had out there.” The Lakers had been in control since the end of the first quarter. After the Jazz cut the lead to one point, the Lakers scored the next 12 and closed the period on Farmar’s 3-pointer that just beat the buzzer and gave Los Angeles a 31-18 lead. The Jazz didn’t score from Paul Millsap’s layup that cut it to 19-18 with 3:18 left in the period.

vs(From the Associated Press) -
Golden State’s Stephen Curry thanked the Oracle Arena crowd in a pregame speech for supporting the team through what has been a rough first half of the season. Then the Warriors rookie went out and gave them optimism for the future. Taking over the offense with leading scorer Monta Ellis sidelined with a knee injury, Curry recorded his first triple-double with a career-high 36 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds as Golden State beat the Los Angeles Clippers 132-102 to snap season-high nine-game losing streak Wednesday night...Curry, who will play in the Rookie Squad game and take part in the 3-point competition during this weekend’s All-Star festivities, became the first Warriors rookie to record a triple-double since Chris Webber on Dec. 23, 1993. He’s also the NBA’s first rookie to have at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists since Kevin Johnson did it for Phoenix on April 16, 1988...“I got mad at Steph because I stole one (rebound) from him and then I was like, ‘Steph, just tell me and I’ll let you have it,”’ said Golden State’s Ronny Turiaf, who had 12 points and six boards. “We were trying to make sure everyone knew it, that’s for sure. It was pretty cool to see him get it.” Anthony Tolliver added a career-high 29 points and Anthony Morrow had 26 points and 10 rebounds for Golden State, which led by as much as 38 while playing without Ellis. Eric Gordon and Rasual Butler had 16 points apiece for the Clippers, who remained winless in three games since interim coach Kim Hughes replaced Mike Dunleavy...Clippers point guard Baron Davis, a one-time fan favorite in Oakland while playing with the Warriors from 2005-08, had 25 points against his former team earlier this season but wasn’t nearly as effective this time. He missed his first seven shots, was held to five points in the first half and was shut out after the break while finishing with seven assists...Chris Kaman, who was named to his first All-Star game as a replacement for injured Portland guard Brandon Roy, had 13 points for Los Angeles but it had little effect on the outcome.