Grizzlies hold on for key win over Celtics
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The Memphis Grizzlies held on for a vital 90-87 win over the host Boston yesterday, with the Celtics missing a late opportunity to send the game to overtime and move back to the top of the NBA's Eastern Conference.
Memphis' Marc Gasol stole the ball and hit a layup with just over a minute left to put Memphis ahead 88-85. He missed a pair of free throws with 4.6 seconds left, giving Boston a chance to draw level, but Paul Pierce missed an off-balance 3-pointer that would have tied the scores.
Gasol scored 11 points with 11 rebounds and Zach Randolph had 13 points and eight rebounds for the Grizzlies, who solidified their hold on the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. Memphis is just half a game behind seventh-placed New Orleans.
Pierce scored 22 for Boston, which missed a chance to move into a tie with Chicago for best record in the East.
Thunder 106, Jazz 94
In Oklahoma City, the hosts dropped a depleted Utah team below .500 for the first time since early November.
Russell Westbrook scored 31 points and Kevin Durant added 29 for the Thunder.
The Jazz played without starting point guard Devin Harris because of a strained hamstring, and Andrei Kirilenko sat out the second half after bruising a nerve in a knee. That proved to be too much to overcome.
Al Jefferson had 32 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Jazz, who dropped four games behind Memphis for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with 10 games left.
Magic 111, Knicks 99
In New York, Orlando made it four straight wins by stretching its dominance of New York.
Dwight Howard had 33 points and 11 rebounds, while Jameer Nelson added 19 points for the Magic, who held Amare Stoudemire to his worst game this season and beat the Knicks for the sixth straight time.
Carmelo Anthony had 24 points for the Knicks (35-36), who trailed by only a point after three quarters but fell below .500 for the first time since November 27.
76ers 105, Hawks 100
In Philadelphia, the home team went on a 25-6 run to open the fourth quarter, turning the game and beating Atlanta.
Lou Williams scored 17 points while Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young each had 16 for the 76ers. Williams and Young keyed the Sixers' rally off the bench in the fourth. Philadelphia was down 10 late in the third quarter before an 11-0 run early in the fourth fueled the comeback.
Josh Smith had 33 points and 12 rebounds for the slumping Hawks. Smith's 3-pointer with 1.6 seconds left pulled the Hawks within three but Iguodala hit two free throws to clinch the win.
Heat 100, Pistons 94
In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Dwyane Wade scored 24 points to help Miami rally for a win over Detroit.
Chris Bosh had 23 points for Miami, which has won six of seven.
The Heat trailed by 11 late in the third quarter before Mike Miller made a 3-pointer in the final seconds. Miami then scored the first 15 points of the fourth to take an 88-81 lead.
Detroit had the ball down by four in the final minute, but Greg Monroe missed a layup, forcing the Pistons to foul.
Richard Hamilton led Detroit with 27 points.
Rockets 131, Warriors 112
In Houston, Kevin Martin scored 34 points to power Houston to a fifth straight win, defeating Golden State.
Chuck Hayes got his first career triple-double, notching 14 rebounds, 13 points and 11 assists for the Rockets, who remained two games behind Memphis for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Dorell Wright had 34 points for the Warriors.
Pacers 111, Bobcats 88
In Charlotte, Indiana overcame Charlotte to create some breathing room over one of their closest competitors for the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot.
Danny Granger scored 33 points and Tyler Hansbrough added 24 points for the Pacers, who moved three games ahead of Charlotte for eighth place.
The Pacers turned a 12-point, second-quarter deficit into a rout behind the hot-shooting Granger, who scored 25 points in a 16-minute stretch bridging the second and third periods.
D.J. Augustin scored 17 points for the Bobcats, who lost all four games against Indiana this season.
Kings 97, Bucks 90
In Milwaukee, Sacramento put a severe dent in Milwaukee's fading playoff hopes.
Marcus Thornton scored 27 points and Beno Udrih added 25 as the Kings bounced back from a 40-point annhilation by Chicago on Monday; their heaviest in two years.
Milwaukee fell three games behind Indiana for the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference with 12 left to play.
Milwaukee's Carlos Delfino scored 30 points for the second consecutive game to again match his career high, but had 22 of them in the first half.
Nets 98, Cavaliers 94, OT
In Cleveland, New Jersey scraped only its fifth road win of the season by edging Cleveland in overtime in a match of two teams winding down miserable seasons.
Kris Humphries grabbed a career-high 23 rebounds and made several big plays in overtime, while Jordan Farmar's two free throws with 3.8 seconds left helped seal it for the Nets, who snapped a four-game losing streak.
Ramon Sessions for the Cavaliers, who have lost seven in a row at home.
