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(From the Associated Press) - Dwyane Wade got a warm reception when he was introduced before the game. It was a Chicago crowd’s way of saying welcome home to a native son who’s a star and could become a major free agent. Wade doesn’t always score big at the United Center and Thursday night he didn’t have to. His game was well-rounded, even if he did score only 12 points, as his Miami Heat rolled over the Chicago Bulls 103-74 in one of the most lopsided games of the season for either team. “I was laying in bed today and I was wondering why I don’t play good here like I play other places on the road,” Wade said. “I decided I play too fast here. I decided to come out and play like I normally play, with a lot of patience. … My game plan going out there was to get my teammates involved. I knew they were going to bring two at me and pack the paint a little bit. So I decided to make sure to get my teammates involved and it opened things up.” In 29 minutes, Wade had 10 assists and five rebounds. He entered averaging 26.5 points. Jermaine O’Neal scored 24 points, shooting 9 of 14 against a soft Chicago defense, while Michael Beasley scored 15 and Udonis Haslem 14...The Bulls have lost 11 of 13, including a 10-game losing streak, and are in ninth place in the East. “No good answer for anything,” Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said of the loss. “They just attacked us with O’Neal and Beasley. … It’s disappointing. We didn’t have enough fight in us tonight.” Hakim Warrick led the Bulls with 14 points while Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose had 12 apiece.
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(From the Associated Press) - It had been so long since the Los Angeles Clippers won on the road, some players felt as if Thursday night’s 99-93 victory was their first away from home this season. Their road losing streak had stretched to 11 games, the last win coming Feb. 2. It lasted so long that Drew Gooden, acquired in a trade over a month ago, had yet to win a road game with his new team. “It’s my first road win here so I’m happy about that,” he said. Craig Smith scored a season-high 25 points and had 10 rebounds to lead the way for the Clippers, who trailed by as many as 11 in the second half before using a big run to take the lead...“It’s good to get the win for all the hard work our guys have put in,” coach Kim Hughes said. “Baron really bailed us out in the fourth quarter and Craig Smith had a great game.” The Rockets were led by Ariza and Aaron Brooks, who had 18 points apiece, and Luis Scola added 16 points and 14 rebounds. Drew Gooden scored 17 points and had 14 rebounds for Los Angeles, Davis scored 16 and Gordon had 14. Houston used a big run to take an 11-point lead midway through the third quarter. But Los Angeles answered with a 21-8 run to regain the lead, 69-67, with about two minutes left in the quarter. Ariza said it’s difficult to compete when the team is dealing with so many injuries. “That’s the hardest part about this game,” he said. “We work … all season with those guys and they go down. It takes a lot out of you. We know that coming into a game we just got to figure out ways to keep it going.”
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(From the Associated Press) - If the Trail Blazers land the Mavericks as first-round opponents in the playoffs, the season series thus far has certainly been a good omen. Portland has gone 3-0 against Dallas, the latest a 101-89 victory on Thursday night at the Rose Garden. The teams meet once more, on April 9 again in Portland. But the Blazers have already claimed their first season series over Dallas since the 1998-99 season. The Mavericks’ loss put them in a tangle for second in the Western Conference standings with the Denver Nuggets and the Utah Jazz—all 6 1/2 games back of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Blazers are 10 1/2 games back, jockeying for the seventh spot with San Antonio. “This is a good test,” said Blazers guard Andre Miller, who had 19 points and 10 assists. LaMarcus Aldridge added 20 points and 10 rebounds and Marcus Camby had 17 points and 11 rebounds for Portland, which has won six of its last seven games overall and five straight at home. “We take tonight’s game and show that we can play with those guys that are ahead of us,” Blazers coach Nate McMillan said. Caron Butler had 25 points for Dallas, which has lost four of its last five games after a 13-game winning streak...“It was important. It’s just important to win right now, but it feels good that you can beat a team that’s second or third in the Western Conference,” said Roy, who had 16 points. “This was a huge win for us.”
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(From the Associated Press) - Dwyane Wade got a warm reception when he was introduced before the game. It was a Chicago crowd’s way of saying welcome home to a native son who’s a star and could become a major free agent. Wade doesn’t always score big at the United Center and Thursday night he didn’t have to. His game was well-rounded, even if he did score only 12 points, as his Miami Heat rolled over the Chicago Bulls 103-74 in one of the most lopsided games of the season for either team. “I was laying in bed today and I was wondering why I don’t play good here like I play other places on the road,” Wade said. “I decided I play too fast here. I decided to come out and play like I normally play, with a lot of patience. … My game plan going out there was to get my teammates involved. I knew they were going to bring two at me and pack the paint a little bit. So I decided to make sure to get my teammates involved and it opened things up.” In 29 minutes, Wade had 10 assists and five rebounds. He entered averaging 26.5 points. Jermaine O’Neal scored 24 points, shooting 9 of 14 against a soft Chicago defense, while Michael Beasley scored 15 and Udonis Haslem 14...The Bulls have lost 11 of 13, including a 10-game losing streak, and are in ninth place in the East. “No good answer for anything,” Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said of the loss. “They just attacked us with O’Neal and Beasley. … It’s disappointing. We didn’t have enough fight in us tonight.” Hakim Warrick led the Bulls with 14 points while Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose had 12 apiece.
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(From the Associated Press) - It had been so long since the Los Angeles Clippers won on the road, some players felt as if Thursday night’s 99-93 victory was their first away from home this season. Their road losing streak had stretched to 11 games, the last win coming Feb. 2. It lasted so long that Drew Gooden, acquired in a trade over a month ago, had yet to win a road game with his new team. “It’s my first road win here so I’m happy about that,” he said. Craig Smith scored a season-high 25 points and had 10 rebounds to lead the way for the Clippers, who trailed by as many as 11 in the second half before using a big run to take the lead...“It’s good to get the win for all the hard work our guys have put in,” coach Kim Hughes said. “Baron really bailed us out in the fourth quarter and Craig Smith had a great game.” The Rockets were led by Ariza and Aaron Brooks, who had 18 points apiece, and Luis Scola added 16 points and 14 rebounds. Drew Gooden scored 17 points and had 14 rebounds for Los Angeles, Davis scored 16 and Gordon had 14. Houston used a big run to take an 11-point lead midway through the third quarter. But Los Angeles answered with a 21-8 run to regain the lead, 69-67, with about two minutes left in the quarter. Ariza said it’s difficult to compete when the team is dealing with so many injuries. “That’s the hardest part about this game,” he said. “We work … all season with those guys and they go down. It takes a lot out of you. We know that coming into a game we just got to figure out ways to keep it going.”
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(From the Associated Press) - If the Trail Blazers land the Mavericks as first-round opponents in the playoffs, the season series thus far has certainly been a good omen. Portland has gone 3-0 against Dallas, the latest a 101-89 victory on Thursday night at the Rose Garden. The teams meet once more, on April 9 again in Portland. But the Blazers have already claimed their first season series over Dallas since the 1998-99 season. The Mavericks’ loss put them in a tangle for second in the Western Conference standings with the Denver Nuggets and the Utah Jazz—all 6 1/2 games back of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Blazers are 10 1/2 games back, jockeying for the seventh spot with San Antonio. “This is a good test,” said Blazers guard Andre Miller, who had 19 points and 10 assists. LaMarcus Aldridge added 20 points and 10 rebounds and Marcus Camby had 17 points and 11 rebounds for Portland, which has won six of its last seven games overall and five straight at home. “We take tonight’s game and show that we can play with those guys that are ahead of us,” Blazers coach Nate McMillan said. Caron Butler had 25 points for Dallas, which has lost four of its last five games after a 13-game winning streak...“It was important. It’s just important to win right now, but it feels good that you can beat a team that’s second or third in the Western Conference,” said Roy, who had 16 points. “This was a huge win for us.”
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