NBA Daily Results

vs(From the Associated Press) - George Karl called being on the court his sanctuary. Carmelo Anthony answered his coach’s prayer. Anthony scored 40 points, including the winning basket, and Denver overcame LeBron James’ monstrous night to end the Cavaliers’ 13-game winning streak with a 118-116 victory in overtime Thursday night in Karl’s first game since revealing he has neck and throat cancer. “I think he’s happy,” Anthony said of his coach. “This boosted his spirit up a lot. In the back of our mind, we know his situation. We’re playing for him.”...James had his triple-double by the end of regulation, and became the first NBA player with at least 43 points, 13 rebounds, 15 assists, two steals and four blocks, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. James’ triple-double came in front of Oscar Robertson, who averaged a triple-double during the 1961-62 season. He was honored before the game along with Jerry West, James and Anthony as co-captains of U.S. Olympic gold medal basketball teams...James is also the first player to have at least 40 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds in a game since Robertson had 42 points, 18 assists and 15 rebounds on Feb. 13, 1962. “In that sense, it’s huge because of what he was able to do,” James said. “But in the sense of us losing the ball game, it means nothing.” Anthony matched him shot for shot, hitting the winner on a deep jumper over an outstretched James with 1.9 seconds left. “It’s finally me being on the other end I guess,” James said. “I’m so used to being on the other end making shots and looking at guys. It’s a great player and a great shot. If I got any closer, I was going to foul him. Big shot.”...James, who played 47 minutes, missed his final four shots. Anthony, who played 48 minutes, made 7 of his last 8. Anthony and the Nuggets have now won 10 of 14 games against James and the Cavaliers since the two superstars entered the league. “It was a great game to watch, but I’m not sure it will go on my coaching resume as very polished,” Karl said. “We probably should have won the game a little easier. We kept giving them chances and they kept taking advantage of them.”...Denver’s Kenyon Martin had 18 points and a season-high 17 rebounds, but the night belonged to two of the league’s top three scorers, who put on a memorable display. Anthony added seven assists and six rebounds for the Nuggets. James’ triple-double was his third of the season and 27th of his career. He scored 18 of Cleveland’s 27 points in the fourth quarter and his 15 assists tied a career high...Shaquille O’Neal had 18 points and seven rebounds and J.J. Hickson had 14 points for Cleveland, which made just 23 of 40 free throws. “We have to chalk this under another game of us beating ourselves,” O’Neal said. “The whole world knows we beat ourselves tonight. Too many turnovers, too many missed shots.”

vs(From the Associated Press) -
Ray Allen missed a potential game-winning shot at the final horn the last time the Boston Celtics played the Los Angeles Lakers. He was determined to make Derek Fisher suffer the same fate in the rematch. Allen's key defensive stop Thursday night secured an 87-86 victory for the Atlantic Division leaders. He also scored 12 of his 24 points in the third quarter and made 10 of his first 11 shots, helping send the defending NBA champions to their first loss in five games since Kobe Bryant went down with a sprained left ankle...The Lakers had won the previous three meetings with the Celtics after losing the 2008 finals to them in six games. On Jan. 13, they beat Boston 90-89 on the parquet floor, after Bryant hit a jumper with 7.3 seconds left to give the Lakers their only lead of the second half and Allen missed 3-point shot at the other end. "Ray was huge tonight. I think we should threaten to trade him all the time and then pull him back," coach Doc Rivers said. "He was phenomenal. That stretch in the third quarter won the game for us, in my opinion." Kendrick Perkins had 13 points and 14 rebounds, Kevin Garnett had 13 points and eight boards and Rajon Rondo added 14 points and 11 assists for the Celtics, who were busy before gametime. They acquired guard Nate Robinson and Marcus Landry from the New York Knicks in exchange for Eddie House, J.R. Giddens, Bill Walker and a future conditional second-round pick. Pau Gasol scored 22 points, and Lamar Odom had 13 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers -- who missed nine of 25 free throws. Bryant, the league's fourth-leading scorer, remained in the trainer's room getting treatment on his sprained left ankle while his teammates rallied from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to take a four-point lead. "Our defense gave us an opportunity to win, but we couldn't get it done," coach Phil Jackson said after the Lakers' fifth home loss. "We couldn't find a way to score in the last few minutes. I think we had some pretty good shots. We just couldn't convert."..."Give Boston credit. They're one of the better defensive teams," Jackson said. "Fish broke off his cut. He was supposed to open the floor up, and we were supposed to have an option there. It didn't work." The Celtics were leading 66-55 when Garnett picked up his fourth foul and went to the bench with 8:27 left in the third quarter. He was replaced by Rasheed Wallace, who received a technical foul from referee Bob Delaney with 3:10 left in the period for shoving Gasol as the two power forwards jockeyed for position..."We really put some plays together and created some intensity," Gasol said. "We finished plays, got some stops and some defensive rebounds and gave ourselves a chance. We fought and competed. It was a one-point game. We were so close."