The 2012-13 Basketball Season Is Here

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Nuggets win ninth straight, beat Cavaliers 111-103



CLEVELAND (AP) Denver coach George Karl thinks it's about time people started taking notice of his team.

Given the fact the Nuggets are the NBA's longest active winning streak, Karl has good reason to feel that way.

Danilo Gallinari scored 19 points, Kenneth Faried added 17 and Denver won their ninth straight game with a 111-103 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night.

Although the Nuggets have the fourth-best record in the Western Conference, no Denver player was selected for next Sunday's All-Star Game, a fact Karl is quick to point out.

"We're going to try and shock the world and become the first team to win a championship without an All-Star,'' he said.

The Nuggets, who have won 15 of 17, are on their longest winning streak since posting 10 straight victories from March 30-April 15, 2005. San Antonio had an 11-game streak snapped Friday night.

Kyrie Irving led Cleveland with 26 points, but was plagued by foul trouble. The All-Star guard picked up his fourth foul with 5:20 remaining in the third quarter and went to the bench with the Nuggets leading 72-61. Irving returned to start the fourth quarter with Denver ahead 84-73. He scored 12 points in the period, but Cleveland's rally fell short.

Irving was down on the court briefly after taking a knee to the thigh in the fourth quarter, but said following the game he was OK.

The loss ended Cleveland's three-game winning streak that matched a season high. The Cavaliers haven't won four games in a row since March 17-24, 2010, which was LeBron James' final season with the franchise.

"We ran into a team playing very good basketball,'' Cleveland coach Byron Scott said. "I'm not disappointed in our effort. Tonight, they were a better team.''

Denver, which began a four-game road trip, is scheduled to play in Boston on Sunday. The Nuggets planned to fly into Boston following Saturday's game. The team reserved hotel rooms in Cleveland in case their plans were changed thanks to the massive snowstorm that hit the Northeast this weekend.

Denver showed its depth by placing eight players in double figures.

"There are only about 10 true superstars in the NBA, I think, but I believe Andre Iguodala, Ty Lawson, Andre Miller, and Kenneth Faried are in the next 40 players,'' Karl said.

Alonzo Gee scored 20 points for Cleveland with 16 coming in the first quarter.

The Nuggets built a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers cut the gap to 105-99 with 1:40 remaining, but Gallinari's two free throws and Faried's dunk put the game away.

The Nuggets, who were off Friday while the Cavaliers beat Orlando at home, looked like the fresher team. Denver outscored Cleveland 19-5 in fast-break points. The Nuggets also had 62 points in the paint compared to 32 for the Cavaliers.

"The starters and the bench were lacking a bit of energy,'' Irving said. "We were a step behind and they outplayed us.''

The game featured physical play by both teams, particularly in the second half. Cavaliers center Tyler Zeller was given a technical foul in the third quarter for shoving Nuggets center JaVale McGee while Faried and Cleveland forward Tristan Thompson got tangled up on a couple of occasions.

"It was my kind of game tonight,'' Faried said.

Karl had to be restrained by his assistants for going after the officials in the third quarter. Karl was angry about a foul call that went against his team.

Denver took a quick 8-0 lead, but Gee, who had scored 14 points his last two games combined, kept Cleveland in the game by scoring 15 of the Cavaliers' first 17 points.

Cleveland led 46-41 late in the second quarter, but Denver finished the half on a 17-6 run. The Nuggets scored the last six points of the half over the final 41.9 seconds to take a 58-52 lead into the locker room. Irving picked up two fouls in a span of 20 seconds late in the quarter, giving him three for the half.

Faried appeared to injure his knee in the first quarter, but still had 13 points and five rebounds in the half.

"I'm a warrior,'' he said. "I'm going to play tomorrow. Definitely, I'm playing.''

Iguodala scored 14 points for the Nuggets, while McGee added 13. Lawson had 11 points while Miller, Kosta Koufos and Corey Brewer scored 10 apiece.

NOTES: Denver, which came in as the worst free-throw shooting team in the league (69.1 percent), made 25 of 34 shots from the line. ... The Nuggets are 11-15 away from home. ... The Cavaliers continue their seven-game homestand Monday against Minnesota. Cleveland, which defeated Orlando on Friday, played home games on back-to-back nights for the only time this season. ... Cleveland is 11-12 since Dec. 22.

 

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Allen's 22 rebounds lead 76ers past Bobcats 87-76



PHILADELPHIA (AP) The 76ers' arena has breezed through four names in its history. Jeremy Pargo gave it an unofficial fifth.

After Pargo's debut, fans posted on Twitter the Wells Fargo Center should be renamed the Wells Pargo Center.

"I'd love for that to be the real name,'' a smiling Pargo said. "That means I'd be doing well.''

He had a pretty nice start.

Lavoy Allen had 14 points and a career-high 22 rebounds, Jrue Holiday scored 20 points and Pargo had 12 to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to an 87-76 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday night.

The Sixers improved to 5-2 on their eight-game homestand that ends Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers. The solid showing at home has helped the Sixers inch closer to the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.

No one could have guessed at the start they'd have Pargo to thank. Pargo signed a 10-day contract this week after he was waived by Cleveland.

Wearing No. 0, Pargo was a pleasant surprise, playing 29 minutes and injecting a needed dose of fun and energy off the bench.

"I got comfortable,'' he said.

Pargo had started 11 of his 25 games played with the Cavaliers and averaged 7.8 points. He even scored a career-high 28 against the Sixers in November.

"I forgive him after tonight,'' Allen said. "I was a little mad at the time.''

With only a 10-day contract to prove his worth, Pargo hit a string of big baskets over the third and fourth, shooting 4 of 9 overall and adding six assists.

He had the play of the game when he drove the length of the court for a right-handed layup and a foul. He gave a playful smile and a wink to fans on the baseline, then sank the free throw for a 16-point lead.

"Y'all caught that? It was just in the moment,'' a laughing Pargo said.

Pargo wowed the crowd again in the fourth with a one-handed reverse that kept the lead at double-digits. The 6-foot-2 guard out of Gonzaga was cheered late each time he touched the ball.

He did get whistled for a technical foul in the fourth, which comes with a fine - a hit to the wallet a player on a 10-day deal might not want.

"I told the ref, "He's throwing the ball,''' he said. "That was completely it. I don't know if he got mad at me from something earlier.''

Before the game, Allen noted he's had three teammates this season in the locker next to him. Maalik Wayns and Shelvin Mack couldn't stick. More games such as this and Pargo just find a home in Philadelphia for the rest of the season.

Evan Turner had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Spencer Hawes added 17 points and nine rebounds to help the Sixers crush the Bobcats 60-40 on the boards. Allen split his rebound total.

"I was a monster on the boards at Temple,'' Allen deadpanned. "It really was my game. All-time leading rebounder at Temple, by the way. Just want to throw that out there.''

Even with Allen attacking the glass, the Sixers needed Pargo driving the lane for buckets. They missed 14 of 16 3-point attempts and hit almost nothing from any spot outside the paint.

That helped keep the game close for the Bobcats, playing a night after they blew a 20-point lead in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Ramon Sessions scored 20 points, Byron Mullens had 16 and Gerald Henderson 13 as the NBA-worst Bobcats lost their seventh straight. The Bobcats shot 31 percent from the floor. They also missed 14 of 16 3s.

"One of the things our young guys have to learn is, front up off a glamour game like the Lakers,'' coach Mike Dunlap said. "They just get can't excited for one game and not the other. What we're trying to teach them is how to be a pro.''

The Sixers opened the third on a 12-2 run to break open a one-point game at the break. The Bobcats closed within seven late in the fourth until Holiday pushed them back with a 16-footer. He had a driving layup late to make it an 11-point game and send the Bobcats to their latest defeat.

"We always find ways to be in games and fight our way back,'' Henderson said. "At this point, we just need to find ways to win.''

Notes: Two Charlotte assistants have Temple connections. Rick Brunson starred for the Owls in the 1990s and Dan Leibovitz was an assistant under John Chaney. ... 76ers coach Doug Collins said he had a hard time figuring out his inconsistent team. "Any little change affects this team. It knocks us out of sync,'' he said. Why? "I don't know. It's just their personality.''

 

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Thomas scores 25, Kings top Jazz 120-109



SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) After a prolonged absence, Sacramento Kings fans did a long version of The Wave on Saturday night at Sleep Train Arena.

The Wave was embraced by Kings fans, but the question that lingers is will fans be sadly waving goodbye to the Kings after this season and moaning about their departure to Seattle?

Isaiah Thomas scored 25 points and Marcus Thornton had 24 for the Kings, who played one of their better games in a mostly dreadful season, defeating the Utah Jazz 120-109.

It was a boisterous crowd of 16,193 that was chanting "Sacramento!'' just before tipoff in support of the Kings, who could be sold and move to Seattle next season. The great fan support culminated late in the fourth quarter with The Wave taking more of the center stage than the game. Several Kings players were even doing it on the bench in the fourth quarter, including center DeMarcus Cousins.

"Their energy was crazy, nonstop,'' Cousins said. "I never had a chance to do The Wave so I made sure I included myself in that and it was an incredible experience. Yeah, I got a little fatigued at the end. I didn't expect it to last that long.''

Sacramento led throughout most of the game and played an aggressive, up-tempo style that had the crowd loudly cheering throughout and displaying signs of support. There were more children at the game than normal, thanks to a grassroots campaign that raised more than $9,000 for kids to attend.

"I think it (the fans) got us the win,'' said Thomas, who made 10 of 16 shots, including two 3-pointers. "They brought us energy and you guys saw it from the jump. We were energized and we looked like a totally different team, especially on the offensive end. We were sharing the ball, we were smiling, everything. It was a good thing.''

There weren't a lot of good things happening for Utah. The Jazz had both Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson, their top two scorers, in foul trouble. The Jazz committed 18 turnovers and never seemed able to match the Kings' considerable energy.

"The fans gave them some energy. I saw that from the beginning of the game,'' Utah coach Tyrone Corbin said. "I played here for a couple of years and the fans were super, supporting the team and being excited about Kings basketball. They still seem to be. They don't want to lose the team.''

Alec Burks had a career-high 24 points and Jefferson scored 16, but also had four fouls and played just over 19 minutes. Enes Kantor had 15 points and DeMare Carroll had 14 for the Jazz, who dropped their second straight game. Millsap had five fouls and finished with six points and eight rebounds.

"It was a tough situation for Al and me when we are both trying to win a basketball game,'' Millsap said. "It happens. We just dropped two in a row. These last two games this week are important for us going into the (All-Star) break.''

Jason Thompson had 21 points for the Kings, who snapped a four-game losing streak and had lost eight of nine games, most of them on a recent dismal road trip. Cousins had 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, and Tyreke Evans added 12 points and six assists.

Although not as effective scoring as usual, Cousins had a solid overall game and avoided any controversy. He was ejected before halftime Monday in Utah and also was booted in a game earlier this season against the Jazz.

Leading by 13 points entering the fourth quarter, the Kings quickly build the margin to 19 points when Thornton converted on a three-point play with 7:16 remaining.

"We've had a full arena before and these players feed of it,'' Kings coach Keith Smart said. "It helps to see these fans here that have really gotten behind this basketball team. I shared that with the players before the game that our focus was to go out there and put on a show.''

The game was billed as "Here We Buy'' and reflected a fan-based effort to support the Kings, who have experienced sagging attendance amid rumors of the team moving and another lackluster losing season. Earlier this week, NBA Commissioner David Stern said the Seattle ownership group, led by Chris Hansen and Steve Ballmer, formally filed for relocation with the league. The group reached an agreement to purchase 65 percent of the Kings from the Maloof family.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson was one of the early arrivals and was shaking hands with fans 40 minutes before game time. Johnson, a former NBA star who grew up in Sacramento, is attempting to put together an owner group and prevent the Kings from moving.

Johnson has declined to name his wealthy investors, but billionaire Ron Burkle and 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov are in serious talks over partnering on a bid. Johnson has also helped initiate discussions regarding a new downtown arena.

"It was loud. I've never played here in Sacramento and heard a crowd that loud,'' Utah veteran guard Earl Watson said. "It was loud and their team fed off that.''

Notes: Watson was back on the court after missing the previous three games with a lower right leg injury. ... Kings rookie forward Thomas Robinson was called for a technical in the second quarter following some physical play against Millsap. ... Jefferson scored 14 first-half points, but Utah's leading rebounder had just one rebound and finished with three. ... Millsap picked up his fifth foul early in the third quarter while defending against Cousins.

 

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Paul scores 25, leads Clippers past Knicks, 102-88



NEW YORK (AP) Chris Paul preserved the big lead that Jamal Crawford helped build, then they both looked elsewhere for the key to this Clippers victory.

"I think the game ball goes to Grant Hill,'' Paul said.

Hill led the defensive effort that limited Carmelo Anthony to one basket in the fourth quarter, and Los Angeles pulled away for a 102-88 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday.

Anthony scored 42 points in his fifth 40-point game of the season, but took only two shots in the final period while defended by the 40-year-old Hill, who didn't even play in the first half but was on the floor for the final 15:21.

"I think that Grant Hill sitting on the bench the whole time, he came in and provided a great presence out there on Melo. I don't think we win that game without him,'' Crawford said.

Paul scored 25 points in his second game back from injury and Crawford, a former Knicks guard, had 27. Blake Griffin finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Clippers, who bounced back from a 22-point loss in Miami on Friday to win for just the fourth time in 12 games. They finish off their eight-game Grammys road trip Monday in Philadelphia.

"Jamal, Chris, Blake, I mean everybody, it was a team effort. Everybody stepped up at some point,'' coach Vinny Del Negro said.

Raymond Felton scored 20 points for the Knicks, who lost for the second time in eight games and wrap up their successful first half Wednesday against Toronto. J.R. Smith was only 1 for 9 from the field, getting badly outplayed by Crawford in a matchup of top NBA reserves.

Paul added seven assists and six rebounds after being held to a season-low three points Friday in Miami. He had missed nine straight and 12 of the previous 14 games with a bruised right kneecap, and an excellent Clippers season hit a rocky patch without him.

Paul scored 16 points in the first half, then had five in a row down the stretch to hold off the Knicks comeback attempt.

Anthony had four points in the final period after he had scored 18 in the third. He said the Clippers made a defensive adjustment, changing their pick-and-roll coverage and sending another defender at him.

"There's four other guys on the basketball court, we've just got to make plays and we've been doing that all season long,'' Anthony said. "Tonight, today we didn't make plays in the fourth quarter and we didn't win the game.''

The Clippers are finally getting healthier, with Chauncey Billups also rejoining the lineup Friday, though Del Negro said they still had to balance watching players' minutes to keep the long-term in mind against trying to win the game.

Having one of the NBA's best benches helps. He didn't even have Paul or Griffin in the game, leaving it to Crawford, the leading candidate for the NBA's sixth man award, and Eric Bledsoe to help Los Angeles open a decisive lead in the fourth quarter.

Hill came on in the third quarter after Caron Butler was lost to a sore lower back and nobody else was having any success against Anthony, and made him work to even get the ball where he wanted it.

"I've battled against him. He's a great player,'' Hill said. "I have as much respect for him. He's one of my favorite players to watch but you try to do things to make it difficult. You've to have selective memory because when he hits a shot, you've just got to be able to move on to the next play. He's a great player.''

Bledsoe made all six shots and finished with 13 points as the Clippers' bench outscored the Knicks' 48-15.

"Things happen, man. Just sometimes it's one of those nights when shots don't fall,'' Felton said. "Our bench has been great for us all year, and sometimes the ball don't just go in the basket for you and it was one of those days.''

The Clippers scored the final five points of the first quarter for a 22-17 lead, then opened the second with eight in a row to go up 30-17 on a pair of free throws by Matt Barnes. They led 52-44 at halftime.

Anthony got on one of his blistering streaks in the third, scoring 11 points in under 4 1/2 minutes, including a 3-pointer that gave the Knicks a 61-60 lead. It went back and forth from there until he capped his 18-point period with a 3-pointer with 28 seconds remaining that cut the Clippers' edge to 71-70 heading to the fourth.

But after Amare Stoudemire's three-point play to open the quarter, the Clippers scored 15 of the next 19 points, taking an 86-77 lead on Crawford's basket with about 7 minutes left.

The Knicks fell behind by 12 later in the period before getting within six with under 3 minutes left. Paul then scored five straight points to push it back to 11 and put it away.

The Knicks were forced to spend an extra night in Minnesota after Friday's victory because of the snow storm that pounded the Northeast, before getting home Saturday afternoon. The Clippers were already scheduled to remain in Miami on Friday and practice there Saturday before traveling to New York.

NOTES: Knicks coach Mike Woodson said he can never promise a player he won't be traded, but has been showing Iman Shumpert "some love'' with the second-year guard's name linked to reports of a possible trade to Phoenix. Woodson said the second-year guard has been on a roller coaster since returning from knee surgery, but said he believes Shumpert remains a key player for the Knicks. He said even his daughter, who like Shumpert went to Georgia Tech, called Woodson to ask about if the Knicks were really going to deal. "Iman's going to be right here with me,'' Woodson said he told her. ... The NBA's three oldest active players were at Madison Square Garden: the Knicks' Kurt Thomas, who turned 40 in October, Hill (a day younger) and the Knicks' Jason Kidd (who turns 40 next month).

 

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Parker, Spurs dominate 2nd half in rout of Nets



NEW YORK (AP) Tony Parker has been so outstanding lately that Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called it "beyond an All-Star level.''

Does that mean All-NBA? Maybe even MVP?

"I think he should be in every conversation for any award that's going to be given,'' Popovich said. "I don't think that is really tough to see. I mean, there's a group of guys, but he should be in that group as one of the guys that's playing the best in the league.''

Parker had 29 points and 11 assists in another brilliant performance without his two sidekicks, and San Antonio dominated the second half to beat the Brooklyn Nets 111-86 on Sunday night.

Two nights after a loss in Detroit ended their 11-game winning streak, the Spurs got back on track quickly behind Parker, who fell short of his third straight 30-point game only because he was so good that he sat out the final minutes of the rout.

Danny Green added 14 points and Tiago Splitter had 13 for the Spurs, who were again without Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili because of injuries as they beat the Nets for the fifth straight time and 19th in the last 20 meetings.

Parker, the Western Conference player of the month in January, may be appreciated more without them, but said he wants them on the floor with him.

"I don't care about getting my due and stuff like that. I'm in San Antonio, they always forget about me, so I get used to it,'' Parker said. "So I definitely prefer to have Timmy and Manu because that's how you win championships. You need more than one player to win championships. You need a whole team and I prefer winning championships than having my due.''

Joe Johnson scored 19 points and Brook Lopez had 18 for the Nets, who were outscored 60-29 in the second half and lost for the sixth time in nine games. Deron Williams finished with 15 points, but was a distant No. 2 when it came to the best point guards on the floor.

"Their execution was excellent. Tony had a very, very good game. But offensively, the push wasn't there in the second half,'' Nets interim coach P.J. Carlesimo said. "A lot of the things that we did well, we stopped doing. We got very careless with the ball, turning it over, getting stripped, not finishing.''

Duncan missed his third straight game due to a sore left knee, while Ginobili was out for the fourth consecutive game with tightness in his left hamstring. Popovich said he would be cautious with the two stars, knowing he needs them later this season.

They're not missing them now - thanks to Parker, who had no turnovers in 35 minutes.

"He's carrying the whole team, especially when Tim and Manu are out. He's doing everything on the court,'' teammate and fellow Frenchman Boris Diaw said.

Parker had 10 points and four assists in the third quarter, when San Antonio outscored Brooklyn 30-14 to turn a six-point halftime deficit into an 81-71 advantage. He'd had 31 points and eight assists in both of the previous two games, and just missed a fourth 30-point game in his last six.

Getting into the lane with ease and knocking down consecutive jumpers at one point when he didn't, he was 5 of 6 from the floor in the quarter, making any Nets defender look completely overmatched.

The Spurs then put it away early in the fourth. Parker returned from a rest with San Antonio leading by 10 and helped the Spurs run off 10 straight points. Matt Bonner and Diaw made consecutive 3-pointers, Parker added another basket, and Stephen Jackson drove for a layup that made it 95-75 and had the Nets hearing boos in their new home for one of the few times this season.

"I mean, (we) deserve it,'' Williams said. "These people pay money to come see us play and play better than that. You can't ever be mad at that.''

Johnson said the Nets have a problem responding lately when teams seize the momentum.

"I don't know what it is, but you know, it just seems when a team makes a run on us, man it just takes the air out of us,'' he said. "It shouldn't be that way. We should be able to respond, especially on our floor, but it hasn't been the case.''

Carlesimo said his team was lacking the same enthusiasm and confidence it had when he first took over. The Nets got off to a fast start Sunday, but another bad third quarter - though not as bad as the 30-5 whipping the Spurs put on them in San Antonio on New Year's Eve - ruined all they had done well in the first half.

Lopez capped a 10-point first quarter with a jumper with 2.9 seconds left, and the Nets shot 64 percent in the period for a 35-25 lead. The Spurs tightened things up in the second, cutting it to 57-51 at halftime - when Diaw said they got a scolding from Popovich - then surged ahead behind Parker's mastery.

The Spurs improved to 2-1 on their nine-game rodeo road trip, which ties the longest in franchise history.

Notes: The Spurs beat the Nets 104-73 on New Year's Eve in Brooklyn's third game under Carlesimo, an assistant to Popovich in San Antonio from 2002-07. "We kicked his (butt),'' Popovich joked before the game. "We just drilled him and we loved it.'' ... The Nets installed six large-scale photographs of the Black Fives, early 20th century African-American basketball teams, Sunday throughout Barclays Center's main concourse. General manager Billy King presented a commemorative plaque to descendants of the teams, who played from 1904-50, during a halftime ceremony.

 

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Sefolosha helps Thunder rout Phoenix again 97-69



PHOENIX (AP) When Oklahoma City faces Phoenix, the Thunder rolls.

Thabo Sefolosha made a career-high 5 of 7 3-pointers and the Oklahoma City Thunder routed the Phoenix Suns for the second game in a row 97-69 on Sunday night.

The 28-point blowout followed a 127-96 Thunder romp over the Suns in Oklahoma City on Friday night.

"We played the same as we did last time,'' Russell Westbrook said. "I think we did a good job of that, and maybe even better this time.''

Westbrook scored 24 points in 28 minutes in the Thunder's 10th straight victory over Phoenix, the longest active streak for any Suns opponent.

Sefolosha added 20 points, two shy of his career high. Kevin Durant scored 18, 11 below his NBA-leading season average (29.1), in limited duty in the Thunder's fourth straight win, none of them by fewer than a 21-point margin.

Sefolosha set a season high for the second straight game after getting 18 against the Suns on Friday.

The one-sided wins are giving everybody plenty of time on the court.

"The thing about our team we have guys who can come in and do a good job when needed,'' Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "There are some guys who don't get to play, but it nice for them to get opportunities.''

Markieff Morris was the only Phoenix player in double figures with 12.

Wesley Johnson's tip-in with 7.8 seconds to play prevented the Suns from setting a franchise scoring low, a mark that has stood for nearly 32 years. Phoenix scored 68 at Kansas City on March 8, 1981.

"Never in my career I get beat two games in a row by so many points,'' said the Suns' Goran Dragic, who scored six points on 2 of 7 shooting. "It was a tough game. I mean, they're one of the better teams in the league. They were controlling the game from the start. We didn't know what we were doing defensively, offensively.''

Durant was just 1 for 5 shooting in the first quarter but Oklahoma City still led 27-16. The Thunder scored the last eight in the quarter, including a pair of 3s from the corner by Sefolosha. Sefolosha made another one to start the second quarter, capping the run at 11-0 and putting Oklahoma City up 30-16.

Phoenix crawled back, cutting it to 35-32 on P.J. Tucker's rebound basket, but the Thunder scored the next nine, including another 3 for Sefolosha, and it was 45-32.

Oklahoma City finished the half with a 16-2 run, Westbrook's 3 at the buzzer putting the Thunder up 51-34.

To start the third quarter, Sefolosha scored, Durant dunked and the rout was on at 55-34. Oklahoma City led 74-48 after three.

"We are just trying to focus on us every single day and how we can be better and playing up to our standards, which is defense first,'' Durant said.

"These past two or three games have been really great for us on the defensive end setting the tone. When we play an all-around game with everyone contributing on the offensive end, defensive end. We always do it as unit. Then offensive end, we are doing a better job of playing together. Everybody getting touches and feeling good about themselves.''

The biggest lead was 35.

"You treat it as one game,'' interim coach Lindsey Hunter said. "It is like having a bad day at work and nothing goes right for you. Look at it and you go on. You know what? I am glad today is over, let's start over. You do not hang your head and dwell on it, you move on. And that is what we are going to do. That is my job not to let the guys have pity parties.''

Sefolosha had four 3s, in five attempts, by halftime to tie his career high for a game, set four times, most recently two nights earlier in the rout of the Suns. He broke it with a 3 in the second half.

Phoenix shot 33 percent to Oklahoma City's 45 percent.

The Thunder made 20 of 27 free throws while the Suns went to the line a season-low five times, making all of them.

The seven fouls by the Thunder were the fewest ever for a Phoenix opponent. The previous mark was eight set just under 38 years ago.

Oklahoma City, improving to 16-9 on the road, has won its past four by 21, 21, 32 and 28 points.


Notes: The Thunder were without Kevin Martin because of the flu. ... The Suns last beat the Thunder on Dec. 19, 2010, in Oklahoma City. Their last win over the Thunder in Phoenix was on March 14, 2009. ... Oklahoma City has two games before the All-Star break - Tuesday night at Utah, then home against Miami on Thursday. The Suns have one before the break, at the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. ... Oklahoma City's most one-sided victory this season was 114-69 over Charlotte on Nov. 26. The Suns' most one-sided loss was 117-77 at Detroit on Nov. 28.

 

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James scores 32 more, Heat top Lakers 107-97



MIAMI (AP) LeBron James ran a few steps behind the play, knowing exactly what was coming. The lob from Norris Cole arrived, and the NBA's reigning MVP rose for a catch and dunk.

He made it look easy.

He's making everything look easy right now.

James scored 32 points on 12-for-18 shooting in a record-setting show, Dwyane Wade scored 30 and the Miami Heat beat the Los Angeles Lakers 107-97 on Sunday for their fifth straight win.

It was James' fifth straight game with at least 30 points, a franchise record. He also joined Adrian Dantley (1979) and Moses Malone (1982) as the only NBA players to score at least 30 and shoot at least 60 percent in five straight outings, the team said.

"Don't take it for granted,'' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He's making greatness look easy.''

Mario Chalmers scored 13 and Chris Bosh finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat.

Kobe Bryant had 28 points and nine assists for the Lakers, who also got 18 points from Earl Clark. The Lakers had eight turnovers in the fourth quarter, while Miami had none.

"Turnovers,'' lamented Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni. "You have to give them credit. They're good.''

With the win, Miami moved 2 1/2 games clear of the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference standings. The Knicks lost to the Los Angeles Clippers earlier Sunday.

Dwight Howard and Steve Nash each scored 15 for the Lakers.

"They have a couple of sensational players over there that made some big plays,'' Bryant said.

Indeed, James and Wade stole the show down the stretch.

Wade also shot 12 for 18 for Miami, which shot 55 percent as a team and held a 38-29 edge in rebounding. James scored 20 in the second half and Wade had 18 in the final two quarters, but the defending NBA champions weren't able to pull away until the final minutes.

Wade had five straight points for Miami, the last of them coming with 7:15 left when his three-point play put the Heat up 89-82 - at that point, their biggest lead of the day.

A minute later, Wade started what might have been Miami's signature sequence of the game.

He stepped in front of a pass by Bryant under the basket, then flipped it to Bosh before falling out of bounds. Bosh got the ball to Cole, who beat Nash down the court, then lobbed a pass over his head to James, who soared for a slam that gave the Heat a seven-point lead once again.

"You could feel the buzz in the arena today,'' James said. "We were just happy that we were able to play our game, weather some of their storms that they had and come out with a win.''

With 3:25 left, James turned in another highlight.

He stole a pass, drove down the court and Nash - who found himself in the lane against a fast-charging James plenty of times Sunday, all to no avail - simply had no chance.

It was almost as if Nash wasn't even in James' field of vision. He leaped for a dunk, giving him 30 points and the franchise record, and Miami's lead was nine. Bryant scored on the next Lakers possession, but Shane Battier hit a 3-pointer with 2:42 left to put Miami up 100-90 for the first double-digit lead for either team all day.

That was the last gasp for the Lakers, who finished their road trip at 4-3.

"We had our chances, but we weren't good enough tonight,'' Nash said. "We had too many breakdowns and we had opportunities to stretch the lead at times in the game and we couldn't do that either so probably in the end we didn't deserve it.''

The teams finished the first half tied at 53, and the third period didn't allow either team much in the way of breathing room either, until the final seconds.

That's when James started flexing some muscle.

James scored Miami's last 11 points of the third, all in the final 4:20, and four of those came in the last six seconds. He was fouled by Clark and made the first free throw. Then the second attempt was tipped back out by Battier to James, who was just beyond the 3-point line. He connected from there, and the Heat took a 78-73 lead into the fourth.

It took a few more minutes, but eventually James and Wade helped Miami put it away.

"D-Wade came and he just started cooking in the fourth quarter,'' Bryant said. "He started doing what D-Wade does and made sensational play after sensational play.''

Rapper Lil Wayne - a semi-regular in the crowd at Heat games - was there for the first half, then tweeted that he was ejected for rooting for the Lakers. Security personnel were seen talking to the rapper at halftime, and a Heat spokesman said after the game that he chose to leave on his own and was not ejected.

NOTES: The Heat have now won six of their last seven games against the Lakers. ... James made his first five shots, which left him at 42 for his last 52 attempts from the floor to that point, a ridiculous 81-percent clip. ... Bryant had five assists in the first quarter, tying a season best. ... Celebrities in attendance included Miami Hurricanes coach Jim Larranaga, pro golfer Justin Rose and Donald Trump. ... LSU football coach Les Miles live-tweeted the game, noting that James is "more athletic in person.''

 

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Celtics outlast Nuggets in 3 OTs with 118-114 win



BOSTON (AP) The Boston Celtics relied on their veterans to help them win the matchup of the NBA's two hottest teams.

Paul Pierce had 27 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists and the Celtics extended their winning streak to seven games with a 118-114 triple overtime victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

Boston's win also ended Denver's winning streak at nine games.

Pierce made a tying 3-pointer in the second overtime to make it 107-107 and extend the game.

"I mean that's what great players do. I would love to tell you I had something to do with it,'' Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "I was sitting just like the fans saying, "Please, Lord, Paul make a shot.''

Kevin Garnett had 20 points and grabbed 18 rebounds while Jason Terry scored a season-high 26 points off the bench.

"It seems like Garnett has a huge heart and wanted to win the game and he made some big time shots,'' Nuggets coach George Karl said. "His range has improved and it's about time he get that respect.''

Pierce, Garnett and Terry are the only active Celtics with championship rings since point guard Rajon Rondo's season-ending knee injury. The Celtics remain unbeaten in Rondo's absence.

Terry hit a 3-pointer with 1:33 remaining in the third overtime to put the Celtics ahead 116-113.

Danilo Gallinari, who finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds, hit a free throw, but Denver would not get any closer.

"Hard to believe these guys don't have an all-star,'' Garnett said. "That baffles me ... Gallinari, Lawson ... they have deserving guys.''

Terry, who had missed five consecutive 3-point shots in the first two overtimes, also made the defensive play of the game when he stole the ball from Andre Miller with 35 seconds remaining.

Denver had one last gasp as Miller missed a 3-pointer with 4.9 seconds remaining before Terry dribbled the ball up the court and made a layup at the buzzer to finish the scoring.

"We're not into moral victories, but it was one of those games,'' Miller said. "It was a fun game and I'm sure everybody was tired.''

Denver's Ty Lawson had 29 points, nine assists and six rebounds and hit several key shots, including a running bank shot to send the game into overtime tied at 92-92.

Gallinari struggled from the field as he shot 7 of 20 for the Nuggets. Kenneth Faried had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Denver.

Garnett was 3 of 4 from the field in overtime after missing 14 of his previous 20 shots.

With Denver leading 105-104 in the second overtime, Lawson hit another jumper to put the Nuggets up 107-104 with 18.9 seconds remaining.

But Pierce hit a 3-pointer with Miller in his face with 5 seconds left to tie the game at 107-107.

Gallinari then had an open lane to the basket as he was overplayed by Garnett, but missed his shot as time ran out.

Jeff Green's 3-pointer tied the game at 99-99 with 23.8 seconds remaining in the first overtime, but Lawson's long 3-pointer fell short at the buzzer.

"Lot of people still doubt us,'' Green said. Can't come into games thinking we have to impress people.''

Denver failed to hit its last shot in all three overtimes with chances to win the game in the first two and to tie it in the third.

Green's jumper put Boston ahead 92-90 with 47.9 seconds remaining in regulation. Miller then missed consecutive shots on the ensuing Denver possessions, but Faried was fouled with 5.4 seconds remaining.

Faried missed both free throws, but Celtics guard Avery Bradley knocked the ball out of bounds. Lawson then scored with 0.8 seconds remaining.

Gallinari, who averages 20 points per game to lead Denver, was held to three points in the first half on 1-of-6 shooting as the Nuggets trailed 50-46 at the break.


Notes: Pierce and Lawson each played 54 minutes respectively. ... JaVale McGee had 16 rebounds for Denver. ... Boston is 13-2 in its past 15 home games against Denver, but the teams are 10-10 head-to-head in the past 20. ... Boston matches up again on the road with Denver on Feb. 19. ... This had been the Nuggets' longest winning streak since March 30 to April 15, 2005. ... Andre Iguodala left the game for Denver in the third quarter with a strain and did not return.

 

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Celtics vs Nuggets highlights

Celtics win in triple overtime.

 

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Mullens, Bobcats end Celtics' win streak 94-91



CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) All in all, Monday proved to be a painful night for the Boston Celtics.

Not only did the Celtics have their seven-game losing streak snapped at the hands of the NBA's worst team, but they might have suffered yet another costly injury in their 94-91 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats.

Backup guard Leandro Barbosa, who has seen increased playing time since the season-ending injury to Rajon Rondo, injured his left knee late in the third quarter and had to be carried to the locker room by a trainer and teammate.

Coach Doc Rivers said Barbosa will have an MRI on Tuesday.

"It doesn't look great but we'll see,'' Rivers said.

In the seven games since Rondo's injury Barbosa had averaged nine points while playing an average of 22.5 minutes. The Celtics had won all seven games.

All of that came crashing down Monday night.

This night belonged to Charlotte's unheralded big man, Byron Mullens.

The four-year NBA veteran turned in a career game with 25 points and 18 rebounds as the Bobcats snapped a seven-game losing streak.

The 7-foot Mullens hit 10 of 16 shots from the field, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range. Ramon Sessions had 19 points for the Bobcats, including the go-ahead jumper from 18 feet with 25.7 seconds left. Kemba Walker had 18 points, six assists and six rebounds, and Gerald Henderson chipped in with 16 points.

Mullens was playing his fifth game after missing 19 with an ankle injury.

"It's big time,'' Walker said of Mullens' effort. "We need that from him. We need that from Byron and he can do it. We know he can do it every night. He is very capable. When he has big games like that, you know, I think that gives us a much better chance.''

Mullens said he was more pleased with his rebounding than his scoring "because that is not what I'm known for.

"I just have to show the league and this organization that I can rebound,'' he said.

Kevin Garnett had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Celtics, but missed a key 18-footer that would have given Boston the lead late in the game. Paul Pierce and Avery Bradley had chances to send the game into overtime in the final seconds, but missed open 3-pointers.

Jeff Green had 18 points for the Celtics and Pierce finished with 13 points, eight assists and eight rebounds.

"We had a win streak going and we had momentum going,'' Celtics guard Courtney Lee said. "We wanted finish out the rest of these games going into the (All-Star) break. So it's definitely a letdown. This one hurts more because we had the lead with one minute to go.''

It was a back-and-forth game throughout.

After Henderson gave the Bobcats an 85-84 lead with 3:58 remaining, Jason Terry made a 3 from the wing and Garnett followed with a turnaround jumper in the lane to push the Boston lead to four.

It appeared as though the Bobcats were on their way to another fourth quarter collapse.

But trailing by four, Henderson hit a 3-point with 1:01 left. After Bradley missed an open jumper, Sessions came free off a screen and knocked down an 18-footer to give the Bobcats the lead with 25.7 seconds remaining.

The Celtics called timeout but Garnett missed from the left wing. Mullens grabbed his 18th rebound and the Walker made a pair of key free throws to give the Bobcats a three-point lead with 14.8 seconds left.

Boston set up an inbounds play and Pierce got an open look but missed. He grabbed his own rebound and dished out to the wing for Bradley, but he missed a 3 as time expired.

Boston's loss came after a triple overtime win against Denver on Thursday night, but the Celtics refused to use fatigue as an excuse.

"We put that one behind us,'' Green said.

As he'd planned to do before the game, Rivers went deep into his bench in the first half with 10 players seeing at least 10 minutes of action.

The Bobcats battled back in the third quarter behind 12 points from Mullens to take a 75-72 lead into the fourth. Mullens, who scored Charlotte's first 10 points of the game, did most of his damage from outside, knocking down 3-pointers and turnaround jumpers, showing great touch for a big man.

"Byron was as good as you can get in the NBA statistically in many ways,'' Bobcats coach Mike Dunlap said. "He's still young. He's growing. ... He's a different player because he was able to take a res. He's got live legs and he's able to see the game.''

NOTES: Pierce scored in double figures for the 50th game this season. ... Bobcats center Bismack Biyombo was a force inside on the defensive end blocking four shots and grabbing seven defensive rebounds.

 

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Paul, Griffin help Clippers cruise past 76ers



PHILADELPHIA (AP) Some of the Los Angeles Clippers' players were practicing a variety of high-flying dunks during pregame warm-ups. The fun continued when the real game tipped off.

Chris Paul had 21 points and 11 assists, Blake Griffin scored 20 points and the Clippers dunked their way to a 107-90 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.

Jamal Crawford also scored 20 points and Matt Barnes had 11 for the Pacific Division-leading Clippers. Eric Bledsoe scored 10 points while DeAndre Jordan grabbed 10 rebounds.

"We were out there having fun,'' said Jordan, who watched some of those highlight-reel dunks on an iPad in the locker room. "When we're active and moving the ball, good things happen. I think dunks and layups come when we're doing what we're supposed to be doing on offense.''

The Clippers closed out their season-high eight-game road trip at 4-4, including consecutive wins at New York and Philadelphia.

Los Angeles won the finale with ease without guard Chauncey Billups and forward Caron Butler. Both players were nursing sore lower backs and were replaced in the starting lineup by Matt Barnes and Willie Green.

"It shows the kind of depth we have,'' Crawford said. "Guys get hurt and other guys step up. It's great to see.''

Still, the Clippers had little trouble against a rather listless Philadelphia team. They built a 27-point lead in the third quarter and kept throwing down vicious dunks. Griffin and Jordan had three big slams in the period and the Clippers ended up with 48 points in the paint by the end of the game.

Paul was the one running the offense with precision, leading to those dunks.

"I think CP is one of the best players in the world,'' Crawford said. "He does everything to set us up and get us going.''

Nick Young led the Sixers with 29 points while Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner and Jeremy Pargo had 10 each. Spencer Hawes had 10 rebounds.

"They're one of the highest-jumping teams in the league,'' Young said. "They had it going.''

Lavoy Allen struggled against the Clippers, two nights after the best performance in his career. Allen had 14 points and a career-best 22 rebounds in an 87-76 win over Charlotte last Saturday. Against the much more athletic Clippers, Allen managed just four points and two rebounds in 28 minutes.

The Sixers ended their eight-game homestand - their longest since 1986 - with a thud, though they did finish 5-3. Philadelphia fell to 22-28 overall with one more game looming at Milwaukee on Wednesday before the All-Star break.

"We'll be fine,'' Turner said. "We've got to stay confident and remain focused.''

Philadelphia began the night three games behind the Bucks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

A potential playoff spot could be even more in doubt with the uncertain future of injured center Andrew Bynum. Before the game, Bynum said he was unsure when he would make his much-anticipated debut.

"I'm not really optimistic,'' said Bynum, who has yet to play for the Sixers. "When I get on the court, that's when I'll be ready.''

Bynum has been dealing with bilateral bone bruises on both knees since being acquired in a blockbuster 12-player, four-team trade in the offseason.

The Clippers were dominant in just about every aspect in rolling to a 56-33 lead at halftime. They shot 63 percent from the field and held the Sixers to 34 percent shooting.

NOTES: Sixers G Jason Richardson (left knee synovitis) said he's scheduled for knee surgery on Thursday. He's expected to miss 6-to-9 months. . The Clippers improved to 17-12 on the road. ... Paul recorded his 18th double-double of the season.

 

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Short-handed Spurs beat Bulls 103-89



CHICAGO (AP) Tim Duncan was dressed in street clothes, with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili joining him on the bench. San Antonio's three biggest stars got up occasionally to cheer on their teammates, but that was the extent of their contribution on Monday.

On this night, the NBA-best Spurs did just fine without them.

Kawhi Leonard had a career-high 26 points and Danny Green scored 18, leading short-handed San Antonio to an impressive 103-89 victory against the Chicago Bulls.

"One would hope that you could play with anybody in your system, but it was a tough challenge for them tonight,'' Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "And I couldn't be more proud of what they did.''

Parker, Duncan and Ginobili were all out with injuries, and swingman Stephen Jackson also missed the game due to "personal business,'' according to the team. With Duncan on the sideline, the Spurs were outrebounded 49-26, including a whopping 17-2 deficit on the offensive glass.

And San Antonio still managed to win, due in large part to 19 Chicago turnovers that the Spurs turned into 29 points.

"The approach is still the same, you know, every game,'' Green said. "It starts with Pop. He does a great job of preparing us, tells us what we need to do. We listen to him.''

Nate Robinson scored 20 points and Richard Hamilton had 16 for the Bulls, who were coming off a 3-3 road trip - their longest of the season. Carlos Boozer added 14 points and All-Star Joakim Noah pulled down 15 rebounds despite a nagging right foot injury.

"When you outrebound somebody like we did and to be in the position we were in, we beat ourselves,'' Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said, lamenting all the turnovers. "They are terrific. They are going to make you pay for your mistakes.''

San Antonio led by 14 at three different points in the third quarter, but Robinson led the Bulls right back. The streaky point guard converted a twisting reverse layup to trim the Spurs' lead to 73-69 with 56 seconds left in the period.

Chicago pulled within one in the fourth before the Spurs began to pull away. Boris Diaw had a three-point play and Leonard converted a layup in a 7-0 surge that made it 89-78 with 5:55 to go.

Parker had 29 points and 11 assists in the Spurs' 111-86 victory at Brooklyn on Sunday night, but Popovich said his star's right knee became swollen during the game. Parker is having an MVP-type of season, averaging 20.7 points and 7.7 assists per game.

Duncan missed his fourth straight game due to a sore left knee. Ginobili was out for the fifth consecutive game with tightness in his left hamstring.

"For sure it was a great win for us,'' said center Tiago Splitter, who had 16 points in 33 minutes despite an awkward fall in the first quarter. "We hope all the guys get better and healthy again soon and ready to help us.''

The injuries for All-Stars Parker and Duncan, plus key scorer Ginobili, meant San Antonio's three best players were reduced to a cheerleading role for the night, and their teammates gave them plenty of reasons to stand and applaud.

Gary Neal also had 16 points for San Antonio (41-12), which improved the league's best road record to 19-10. Nando De Colo, subbing for Parker, had nine points and seven assists in his second career start.

Luol Deng finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds for Chicago (30-21), which dropped to 15-12 at home this season.

"We didn't make shots down the stretch and we couldn't get stops for some reason,'' Robinson said. "They have the best record in the NBA for a reason.''

NOTES: Thibodeau said he thinks G Kirk Hinrich (right elbow) will travel with the team to Boston for Wednesday's game against the Celtics. Hinrich hasn't appeared in a game since Jan. 30 at Milwaukee. ... Splitter had a big bag of ice on his left ankle after the game. "It's painful right now, but we'll see tomorrow how it feels,'' he said. ... Deng addressed the crowd before the game and said he is looking forward to representing the Bulls at Sunday's All-Star game in Houston. ... Diaw and Splitter are the only players to appear in all 53 games for the Spurs this season.

 

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Jefferson helps Jazz cool off Thunder 109-94



SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Kevin Durant had not been called for a flagrant foul in his six-year professional career.

That changed Tuesday night when his frustration boiled over during a 109-94 loss to the Utah Jazz.

His body-check on Alec Burks sent the second-year pro flying out of bounds with 6:06 remaining.

By then the outcome was basically decided, with Al Jefferson scoring 23 points and Paul Millsap 18 to lead the Jazz to a victory.

Utah stopped a two-game losing run and ended the Thunder's four-game winning streak.

"You didn't watch the game? They outrebounded us. They scored in the paint. We turned the ball over. We just gave them the game. They executed on everything they did,'' Durant said.

"We just got to be better. We made some bone-headed plays. I know I did. We just have to be better.''

While a team without a single All-Star showed it can compete with the best, Oklahoma City finds itself regrouping for a big game on Thursday.

The Thunder head home for an NBA Finals rematch with Miami, which has beaten them five straight times going back to June's title series.

The Thunder will try to find the form that had them leading the league in scoring (106.4), free throw shooting (.829) and had routed its past four opponents by an average of 25.3 points.

Instead of sitting starters because they were ahead by so much, head coach Scott Brooks pulled his Tuesday with about 5 1/2 minutes remaining because it was a blowout the other way.

Durant blamed himself, even though he scored a team-high 33 points on 11-of-16 shooting, with six rebounds, five assists and four steals. He also had four turnovers.

"I turned the ball over too much,'' he said. "I didn't help rebound enough. I lead our team. I got to ignite the guys. I got to do better having guys follow me. I got to do better as communicating on the floor as well.

"We have to be better in every aspect. Energy. Effort. Rebounding. Passing. Not turning the ball. We just have to be better. I think we will. We got a team that does a great job of bouncing back and learning from our mistakes.''

The Jazz showed they can do that after dropping back-to-back games against Chicago and Sacramento.

Before the game, Millsap said the Jazz were desperate for a win.

"It's a statement win,'' said DeMarre Carroll, who had 13 points, three rebounds and three steals off the bench for Utah and keyed a big second quarter.

Utah's bench outscored Oklahoma City's 49-25, and the Jazz bigs dominated the boards, holding a 16-7 edge on offensive rebounds and 38-26 advantage overall.

The Thunder also committed 20 turnovers.

The game was scrappy from the start.

Jefferson poked the ball away for a steal in the first quarter and ended up getting poked in the eye so hard it left him sprawled on the floor for about a minute.

Kendrick Perkins was called for a flagrant foul and technical foul, and Carroll and Durant drew double technicals after getting into a little shoving match after Durant's flagrant on Burks.

"It was part of the game,'' Durant said of his play against Burks. "I'm not a dirty player or anything like that. It was just part of the game. I'm sure they would have done the same thing to me.''

He has 10 technicals on the season.

The Jazz led by seven entering the fourth but quickly put the game away, opening on a 6-0 run, with two more baskets from Jefferson.

The Thunder were already down 17 when Durant bumped Burks hard.

Burks, who had a career night in Saturday's loss, was undeterred going against Durant.

"We all know he's a great player but you can't be scared of anybody,'' said Burks, who added 13 points, five rebounds and two assists.

In the first meeting, Oklahoma City dominated, winning by 12.

A fifth straight win by 20 or more Tuesday would have broken a franchise record.

Instead the Thunder suffered their first loss since Feb. 2 at Cleveland.

While Utah's bigs made a big difference, Jefferson outscoring Perkins 23-4 and Millsap outscoring Serge Ibaka 18-10, Utah got the boost from its bench it needed.

Derrick Favors added 15 points and Earl Watson finished with six.

After being embarrassed early on by Russell Westbrook, who opened 5 of 5 from the field, Jazz point guard Jamaal Tinsley put Utah up 75-63 with a pair of 3-pointers.

A steal by Tinsley then set up Millsap at the other end, giving Utah an 80-67 lead with 2:57 left in the third.

"Nights like this happen,'' said Westbrook, who added 22 points but had seven turnovers. "You aren't going to play perfect most of the year. Nights like this happen. You just got to get ready for next game.''

Oklahoma City shot nearly 56 percent, while the Jazz were at 48.3 percent. But Utah took 19 more shots thanks to the big edge in rebounding.

The win gave the Jazz 20 victories at home this season. They head to Minnesota before the All-Star break, and should get two of their top playmakers back shortly thereafter in point guard Mo Williams and third-leading scorer Gordon Hayward.

"I think that was the biggest game of the year for us, especially coming off two losses,'' Watson said. "They are a great team, but we didn't give them too much respect. We respect them as opponents, but we went out to win the game.''


NOTES: Hayward will rest his sprained right shoulder through the All-Star break after getting through only three-fourths of practice Monday before feeling pain passing across his body. ... Jazz PG Williams headed to New York on Tuesday night and was scheduled to have two pins removed from his surgically repaired right thumb Wednesday. If all goes well, Corbin said it's just a matter of Williams getting mobility back in his hand. He will be fitted with a support brace. There was no timetable for his return but he will have missed 26 games because of the injury (30 overall) through the break. ... Thunder G Kevin Martin was back in action after sitting out Sunday's game with flu-like symptoms. ... Thunder G Jeremy Lamb remained inactive with a lower-back strain. ... Tuesday was the Thunder's first loss this season when shooting more than 50 percent.

 

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Lakers beat Suns with 4 points from Kobe



LOS ANGELES (AP) Just when the Los Angeles Lakers thought their season was fully saturated with weirdness, Kobe Bryant made one shot and committed eight turnovers in one of the worst games of his career - and the Lakers still beat Phoenix.

Although the Lakers keep finding new ways to flummox their fans and themselves, they're also still finding ways to win.

Dwight Howard had 19 points and 18 rebounds, Antawn Jamison added 19 points, and the Lakers survived Bryant's bizarre four-point performance for their eighth victory in 11 games, 91-85 over the Suns on Tuesday night.

Even in this tumultuous season jam-packed with statistical oddities and high-profile failures, the Lakers' latest victory is a curiosity. Returning from a seven-game road trip, the Lakers hung on to win despite the fifth-leading scorer in NBA history, who had never played this many minutes (36) with just one field goal in his 17-season career.

Bryant didn't attempt a shot in the first half and scored his first basket with 2:13 to play, finishing 1 for 8 in his lowest-scoring game since Jan. 13, 2005, when he left a game against Cleveland after six minutes with an injury.

Yet after the win, he greeted his horrific statistics with a smile.

"I thought it was great, actually,'' Bryant said. "Obviously, scoring four points, going 1 for 8, that's not necessarily a recipe for success. ... But it's not about us as individuals. It's about what we can do to help the team.''

Bryant counteracted his nine assists - just one in the second half - with a raft of turnovers, yet the Lakers survived against one of the NBA's worst teams with big plays from Howard, Steve Nash and Metta World Peace, who scored 17 points. Bryant finally got an 8-foot leaner to fall, keeping the Lakers in control.

"I guess every 17 years, he's allowed that,'' Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said. "I wouldn't be too tough on him. It was just one of those nights. He was trying too hard to get everybody else involved. You've got to walk the fine line, and he's way over the other line. ... Just write it off and get to the next one.''

Los Angeles returned from its longest road trip of the season with its fourth straight home win, but Bryant - the NBA's third-leading scorer this season - took his recent propensity for playmaking to an uncomfortable extreme, particularly in the first half. Although he blamed the Suns' double-teams, Kobe even passed up fairly decent looks to force passes to his teammates on a few occasions, voluntarily removing his shooting skills from the Lakers' offense.

"I've been doing that since January, when I was trying to make the right play, keep everybody involved, and then I try to get going a little bit,'' Bryant said. "But they took away my post-ups to see if the other guys could beat us, or maybe if I'd get frustrated or force things a little bit, but I just took the double-teams and just tried to make the right play.''

Along with Bryant's disappearing act, the Lakers won despite managing just nine points in the third quarter, their lowest-scoring period of the season. Bryant finally started shooting in the third quarter, but was just as inept as his teammates, missing all five of his attempts.

The Lakers didn't make a basket in the third quarter after World Peace's 3-pointer with 8:58 left, and Phoenix took its first lead late in the period despite its own poor shooting while the Lakers missed 16 of their 19 shots and went 9:21 without a basket.

Michael Beasley scored 18 points and Luis Scola had 15 for the Suns, who have lost eight of 10.

"We get so close, play so well in the third quarter and figure it out, and then we went away from it in the fourth quarter for some reason,'' said Jared Dudley, who scored 10 points.

Jodie Meeks' layup reclaimed the lead with 8:40 to play, and the Lakers kept that small advantage down the stretch.

The Lakers began their seven-game trip necessitated by the Grammy Awards with a 92-86 loss at Phoenix on Jan. 30, blowing a big second-half lead and losing Howard to the shoulder injury that still dogs him. The Suns were 1-5 since, including an embarrassing loss to Oklahoma City last Sunday.

"I wouldn't go that far to say that we held (Bryant) down, because he's a great player,'' Beasley said. "But we did what we wanted to do, as far as our assignments. We just didn't finish. It's a little frustrating. Our defense really hurt us tonight, except for the third quarter. In the first half and the fourth quarter, they got whatever they wanted on the weak side.''


NOTES: F Earl Clark scored 11 points, but sat in favor of Jamison down the stretch. Clark played the Lakers' entire road trip with pain in his right foot, with the Lakers attributing it to inflammation or tendinitis. Clark says the pain reminded him of a stress fracture from his college career at Louisville, but he intends to play through it. ... Will Ferrell and Shaquille O'Neal watched the game from courtside seats underneath the basket on the Lakers' end of the floor. During a third-quarter timeout, Ferrell donned the red blazer worn by Staples Center security personnel and stood on the court. Later, he jokingly escorted O'Neal off the court.

 

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LeBron sets mark, Heat top Blazers 117-104



MIAMI (AP) It's not the type of streak that LeBron James ever thought about, this run of putting together at least 30 points and 60 percent shooting in six straight games.

Still, it's something he'll savor. He's rolling right now, and so are the Miami Heat.

James scored 30 points on 11 for 15 shooting to get into the NBA record books, Chris Bosh scored 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and the Heat wound up beating the Portland Trail Blazers 117-104 in a wild, momentum-swinging game on Tuesday night.

It was the 1,000th regular-season win in Heat history. But on this night, the only history anyone will remember was what James accomplished.

"I'm at a loss for words,'' James said in a televised postgame interview. "Like I say over and over, I know the history of the game. I know how many unbelievable players who came through the ranks, who paved the way for me and my teammates. And for me to be in the record books by myself with such a stat - any stat - it's big-time.''

Dwyane Wade added 24 points for Miami, which wasted a pair of 14-point leads - then put the game away with a 14-0 run in the final minutes. Ray Allen added 14 for Miami.

Damian Lillard had a game-high 33 points for Portland, which got 29 from LaMarcus Aldridge and 20 from Wesley Matthews.

Just like the Heat, the Blazers also saw a 14-point lead slip away in the game, and then simply got shut down late by a stretch of airtight Miami defense.

"That was typical Miami Heat stuff,'' Lillard said. "Transition, finishing strong around the rim, and LeBron picking defenses apart.''

James has made 66 of his past 92 shots, over the past six games - and is an absurd 60 for 80, or 75 percent, in his last 188 minutes of court time. According to the Heat, only Adrian Dantley and Moses Malone had done the 30-point, 60-percent streak in five straight outings before James joined their club.

Now he stands alone.

"That's why he is who he is,'' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "The best player in the game.''

Added Wade: "Obviously he is doing something that is amazing and special.''

And on a night where the teams took turns putting together big runs, it was the Heat who had the last rally - ultimately, the last laugh as well.

With the game tied at 99-all, James drove baseline on former Cleveland teammate Sasha Pavlovic for a two-handed slam that he punctuated with a long scream.

The Heat immediately responded. Matthews made a 3-pointer on the next Portland possession to give the Trail Blazers their last lead. Miami scored the next 14 points, and when James got loose for a dunk with 2:38 remaining, history was his - the first stretch of six straight 30-point games on 60 percent or better shooting in each outing.

"He played a very good basketball game,'' Spoelstra deadpanned afterward. "That's all you're going to get out of me right now. He competes. He loves to compete. He loves close games. ... And he's leading us, not just with his talent.''

Bosh made a jumper with 1:55 left to end the run and seal the win, Miami's sixth straight overall.

Miami next plays Thursday night in Oklahoma City, an NBA Finals rematch before heading into the All-Star break. The Heat topped the Thunder in the first meeting of the clubs this season, winning in Miami on Christmas Day.

"It's a game we'll look forward to,'' Wade said.

A glance at the halftime boxscore - Portland 59, Miami 58 - would have suggested the opening two quarters were closely contested, back-and-forth basketball.

Not exactly.

There were deep and dramatic shifts in momentum, with James and Aldridge simply taking over play for long stretches in the early going.

Miami started with a flurry, hitting its first seven shots and doing so with James collecting five assists in the game's first 3:52. The Heat led 14-5 after that burst, and were still shooting 75 percent with a minute to go in the opening quarter.

They also were trailing at that point. The Blazers were doing anything they wanted on the offensive end.

"I thought it was a good effort by our team,'' Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. "Miami's one of the best if not the best team in the league right now and they are playing at a high level. We matched it for about 44 minutes.''

More than matched it for a while, too.

Aldridge went on a personal 13-0 run over a stretch of nearly four minutes midway through the half, single-handedly seeming to turn what was a 29-24 Portland deficit into a 37-29 Portland lead. And another quick burst, this time a 10-1 run by the Blazers, gave the visitors what was their biggest lead, 57-43 with 4:48 left in the half.

Take away Miami's sizzling start, and the Blazers outscored the Heat 52-29 over a huge swath of the first half. Of course, by the break, everything looked just about even. James scored 10 points in a 15-2 Miami run to end the half, and the Blazers' lead was down to a single point at intermission.

It wound up as a 34-12 run by the Heat in all, as Miami rebuilt what became a 14-point lead midway through third.

Predictably, the Blazers came back. Lillard scored nine points in the final 4:36 of the third, and the Miami lead was down to 86-82 entering the fourth after James waited too long to shoot a beat-the-clock 30-footer that went in anyway.

But down the stretch, it was all Miami.

"I thought one of the biggest differences were the 50-50 balls,'' Lillard said. "A few went their way. And they made us pay.''


NOTES: It was the 25th time Lillard scored more than 20 points this season, adding to his rookie-of-the-year credentials. ... Aldridge has at least 11 field goals in each of his past five games. ... The Heat were without Mike Miller, the latest victim of the flu bug that has ripped through the locker room, and lost starting forward Udonis Haslem to a lower-leg contusion in the opening quarter. X-rays on Haslem's shin were negative.

 

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Clippers rout Lakers 125-101, clinch season series



LOS ANGELES (AP) The Los Angeles Clippers have no banners on the walls or in the rafters at Staples Center. They would need decades to measure up to the Lakers' history.

And they don't care. The past is easy to overlook in Hollywood. The present belongs to Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and the Clippers, who are running Staples Center with style this season.

Paul had 24 points and 13 assists, Griffin scored 18 of his 22 points in a spectacular first quarter and the Clippers cemented their supremacy in Los Angeles with a 125-101 victory over the Lakers on Thursday night.

Chauncey Billups hit five 3-pointers while scoring 21 points for the Clippers, who never trailed as they roared into the All-Star break by clinching the season series in their city rivalry for the first time in 20 years. The Clippers have won the Staples Center co-tenants' first three games of the season, with Los Angeles' longtime underdogs burying the 16-time champions in this latest meeting under a wave of 16 3-pointers.

"It's great. It's important to get these wins, but we're not really just concerned about just them,'' said Griffin, who outscored the Lakers by himself in the opening quarter. "I mean, it's good to be 3-0 against them, but we still have to play them another time, and we still have to play a lot of other teams. This isn't one of those seasons where it's going to come down to either us or them. There's a lot of other teams that are good in the West.''

Caron Butler had 13 points and eight rebounds for the Clippers, who lead Golden State by seven games atop the Pacific Division standings. The win was their fourth straight in an impressive five-night stretch heading into what could be a memorable All-Star game for Los Angeles' teams, which are contributing four of the West's five starters this weekend in Houston.

The Clippers hadn't won this series in a season since taking three of five from the Lakers in 1992-93 - but on April 7, they'll go for the franchise's first season sweep of the Lakers since 1975. In a possible sign of how far the Lakers have fallen this season, Paul wouldn't even recognize the Clippers' city dominance without qualifying it.

"That's all good and well, but it's all about the postseason,'' Paul said. "This means nothing if we don't do things in the playoffs.''

Kobe Bryant had 20 points and 11 assists for the Lakers, who head to the break in 10th place in the Western Conference, four games below .500 with little reason to suspect things will get a whole lot better - particularly without Pau Gasol, who's likely out until April with the latest in their series of serious injuries.

"We've played well, won eight of 12, so it's not to be forgotten,'' said Steve Nash, who scored his 17,000th career point. "I wouldn't say we have an identity yet. I wouldn't say we've formed any kind of consistent understanding, so we've got work to do.''

The Clippers scored the first 15 points despite their weariness. Dwight Howard had 18 points and eight rebounds for the Lakers, who missed their first nine shots and never got closer than 13 points in the second half.

Bryant rebounded from his four-point performance Tuesday against Phoenix with a solid game, but the Lakers' defense couldn't keep up with the Clippers' perimeter shooters. Paul, Butler and Matt Barnes hit three 3-pointers apiece.

The Lakers' defense "was nonexistent,'' Bryant said.

"They made a lot of shots, and they really broke the game open by getting out in transition,'' he added. "It's a step back. We just have to regroup.''

The Clippers appear to be cruising toward the first division title in the woebegone club's 43-year history, dominating the lackluster Pacific and establishing themselves as a legitimate threat to Oklahoma City and San Antonio in the West. They'll need only nine wins after the break to secure the best season in the club's Los Angeles history, and 11 victories for the best year in franchise history, surpassing the 49-win Buffalo Braves in 1974-75.

Just down the hall, the Lakers are mired in one of the most disappointing seasons in their history despite adding veteran stars Howard and Nash to their roster last summer.

"Enjoy the break, and let's get ready for a big push in the second half of the season,'' Bryant said to the Lakers' crowd before the game.

Instead, Griffin roared out of the gate for the Clippers, scoring their first 10 points and making nine of his 10 shots. The Lakers erased much of the Clippers' early 16-point lead with a second-quarter rally led by Antawn Jamison, who scored 13 of his 17 points in the period while the Lakers pulled within three points.

But Billups led an 11-0 spurt late in the period and hit three more 3-pointers early in the second half.

"Blake was amazing in that first quarter, and I was just excited to see (Billups) on this stage in this big game,'' Paul said.

NOTES: Most of the Lakers wore red versions of Bryant's signature shoes in honor of Valentine's Day. ... The Clippers lost Lamar Odom in the second quarter when the longtime Lakers big man got poked in the left eye. ... The Lakers' Jodie Meeks converted a four-point play late in the third quarter. ... Larry David, Ellen Pompeo and Ellie Goulding attended the game.

 

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LeBron's streak ends, Heat pound Thunder 110-100



OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) With LeBron James playing at his best level yet, the Miami Heat powered into the All-Star break with a reminder to the Oklahoma City Thunder that the NBA championship still resides on South Beach.

James had 39 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, and narrowly missed extending his record-setting streak of high-scoring games combined with top-notch accuracy, as the Heat trampled Oklahoma City 110-100 in a Thursday night showcase.

James was in position to continue his NBA record run of games with at least 30 points and 60 percent shooting to seven, but missed from a couple steps beyond the 3-point line as the shot clock ran down with just over a minute left and Miami up 10.

That dropped him to 14 for 24 in the game, or 58 percent. All that mattered to him, though, was that Miami's winning streak reached a season-best seven straight games - and the Heat beat the Thunder for the sixth time in a row, dating to last year's NBA Finals.

"Winning is hard to come by in professional sports. That's what it's about,'' James said. "Sixty percent doesn't matter. Winning is all that matters.''

Chris Bosh chipped in 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Heat, who won the last four games of last season's Finals after losing Game 1 in Oklahoma City and continued their dominance in the series after winning on their home court on Christmas Day.

"I thought we imposed our will, playing our style of basketball,'' said Dwyane Wade, who had 13 points and eight assists before fouling out with 3:29 to play.

"But have their number? No, we're not feeling that way. We've just won two games against them. That's it.''

Kevin Durant had 40 points and eight rebounds, but missed his first seven shots as Oklahoma City fell hopelessly behind. After the slow start, he wound up making half of his 24 shots - going 8 for 10 in the fourth quarter to get Oklahoma City within 108-100 after trailing by as much as 23.

It wasn't enough to measure up against James, who beat him in last year's MVP race and then the Finals before the two won a gold medal together at the London Olympics.

"It's fun. I take on the challenge every time we're playing,'' Durant said. "He had a great game. He was making some tough shots, man - one-leggers, fadeaways in corners, 3s. So, you've got to tip your hat to that.

"I just wanted to keep putting pressure on him. I missed a few and then I started to hit in the fourth. I just tried to will my team back in the game, but it didn't work.''

Russell Westbrook had 26 points and 10 assists, with six turnovers, for the Thunder. He had 20 points in the first half to keep Oklahoma City from getting run out of its own gym.

Despite playing without injured starting forward Udonis Haslem (leg) and then losing two starters to foul trouble in the first 6 minutes, the Heat took control by scoring 11 straight points midway through the first period and went up 28-13 when Ray Allen made the free throw after Durant drew his 11th technical foul of the season.

"That was the game, that first quarter,'' said Durant, who surmised that the Thunder came out too nervous or too excited. "We just kept fighting and we kept fighting, battling uphill. That's tough to do against a championship-caliber team.''

Miami never trailed, held Oklahoma City to just two baskets over a 12-minute stretch and eventually widened its lead to as much as 79-56 when James put back a missed jumper by Bosh with 5:07 left in the third quarter. That matched the largest deficit of the season for the Thunder, who also were down 23 in a home loss against Brooklyn last month.

Oklahoma City fell to 23-4 at home and suffered back-to-back losses for only the second time all season - with the Heat responsible for the second loss on both occasions. The defeat also dropped the Thunder (39-14) to even in the loss column with Miami (36-14) as the two potentially jockey for home-court advantage if there's a Finals rematch.

San Antonio has the best record in the league, and is the only team ahead of Miami and Oklahoma City.

"We always have to be sharp. We can't ever let our guard down,'' James said. "We can't ever come in lackadaisical. We have to come in with a great mindset.''

James finished the first half with a flurry, hitting a pair of 3-pointers and a pair of jumpers from the left wing on four straight possessions. He said it all started with a fan who taunted him.

"He said, "Shoot it. You can't shoot.' So, I said, "OK,' and I shot it. I made it and then I made another one and then I made another one and then I made another one, and he stopped talking to me,'' James said.

The first 3 came when James was left wide open, then the Thunder tried to send Durant, Thabo Sefolosha and finally Kendrick Perkins at him - all to no avail. Westbrook spent most of the second half guarding James.

The only frustration for James came because of the officials, who whistled him for two fouls within two-tenths of a second - and within the final 6 seconds of the half. James tried to restrain himself but eventually let his emotions boil over enough that Dan Crawford hit him with a technical foul, too.

Still, Miami bumped its lead to 63-46 when Bosh got open for a layup at the halftime buzzer off of a half-court inbound bounce pass from Shane Battier.

Notes: Miami had two winning streaks of six games earlier in the season. ... The Heat had shot at least 55 percent in its previous two games and were trying to do it in a third straight game for the first time in franchise history. They ended up at 47 percent, going 41 for 88. ... Oklahoma City went 21 for 22 at the foul line in the first half to keep the margin from getting even worse Westbrook was 10 for 11 and Durant went 9 for 9.

 

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All-Star Saturday: Ross beats Evans in dunk contest



HOUSTON (AP) -- Terrence Ross had to settle his nerves at the start of the All-Star dunk contest. By the end, he was calming down a ball boy he needed as a prop for his winning slam.

The 6-foot-6 Toronto rookie leapfrogged Michael Costolo, the son of Twitter CEO Dick Costolo, whipped the ball between his legs and hammered home a one-handed dunk to beat defending champion Jeremy Evans in the climax to All-Star Saturday.

"I told him the day before that I was going to jump over him, but I never told him I was going to go through the legs," Ross said. "He was kind of nervous. When I first grabbed him, he said, `You're not going to hit me, right?' I said, `No, I'm not going to hit you."'

Ross seemed to be unsure of himself in the beginning, botching his first three dunk attempts in the first round. The crowd exploded when he finally pulled it off - flicking the ball behind his back on the way up and hammering home a one-handed dunk.

He earned a perfect 50 and immediately relaxed.

"This is honestly my first really big dunk contest, so I was nervous," said Ross, the eighth overall pick in last year's draft out of Washington. "And not making a dunk didn't make it easy. I had to get myself together."

Ross earned 58 percent of the fan vote in the championship round, outdoing Evans' prop-filled display. Evans leaped over a painted portrait of himself and former Jazz giant Mark Eaton, who sat on a box and held up the ball for Evans to swipe on his way to the rim.

Kenneth Faried, James White, 2007 dunk champion Gerald Green and Eric Bledsoe also were in the field, while Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade were among the All-Stars taking in the show.

Green started if off by taking a lob from Indiana teammate Lance Stephenson off the side of the backboard and soaring in for a reverse slam. White played off his "Flight White" nickname when he split two columns of cheerleaders dressed as flight attendants for a powerful two-handed dunk.

Hall of Famers Bill Russell and Julius Erving, singer Alicia Keys, rapper Drake, director Spike Lee and comedian Chris Tucker were among those sitting courtside. Keys is performing at halftime of Sunday's All-Star game.

Earlier, Cleveland guard Kyrie Irving beat San Antonio's Matt Bonner to win the 3-point contest. Irving, who will play in his first All-Star game on Sunday, hit his first seven attempts and 20 of 25 overall in the final round to finish with 23 points, two shy of the record held by Craig Hodges and Jason Kapono.

Irving also played in the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday night, scoring 32 points. He came into the weekend with the goal of making a big splash.

"Yeah, this weekend was just basically about earning everybody's respect, and getting a chance for people to see me that don't usually see me," Irving said. "We're not nationally televised. This weekend is to show my face to the fans and get everybody acclimated to my face in the league."

Portland rookie Damian Lillard beat Philadelphia's Jrue Holiday to win the Skills Competition. Players navigated through a dribbling circuit, had to make a jumper from the top of the key and hit passing targets. Lillard finished the course in 29.8 seconds. Holiday's time was 35.6 seconds.

"I think the biggest thing for me was to try not to be too cool and speed through it," Lillard said, "but take my time with the passes and shots."

Houston point guard Jeremy Lin and defending champion Tony Parker also were in the field, but didn't come close to qualifying for the championship round.

In the first competition of the night, the trio of Miami's Chris Bosh, WNBA star Swin Cash and Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins won the Shooting Stars competition, beating a team of Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook, WNBA star Maya Moore and former Houston Rocket Robert Horry.

Each team had two minutes to make shots from six locations on the floor, including one from half-court. Wilkins sank a half-court shot for a team time of 1 minute, 29 seconds. Westbrook rimmed out several half-court tries and time ran out before he and his teammates could make one.

The NBA tweaked the scoring format for this year's All-Star skills exhibitions, with teams representing the East and West competing for charities. The Western Conference defeated the East 140-125. The West earned $350,000 for charity and the East earned $150,000.

 

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Terrence Ross's winning dunks:

 

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West beats East 143-138 in NBA All-Star Game



HOUSTON (AP) The NBA's career scoring leader in the All-Star game, Kobe Bryant has never been just about offense.

"I'm known for my defense,'' Bryant said. "I can defend. I'm pretty smart with my defense.''

Pretty good, too. Ask LeBron James.

Bryant blocked James' jumper, turning it into a dunk by Kevin Durant that helped the Western Conference put away the East 143-138 on Sunday.

Bryant may not leap like Blake Griffin, but he can still get up when he needs to, especially when the defenseless part of the All-Star game is over and it's time to stop somebody - even the league's best player.

On Michael Jordan's 50th birthday, the players most often compared to him turned the final minutes into a 1-on-1 duel, and it went to Bryant - the guy Jordan said he'd pick between the two based on his five championship rings. That's one less than MJ and four more than King James.

"It was a great block,'' Durant said. "I haven't really seen any MVP get a jumper blocked like that. It was a really great play.''

Chris Paul had 20 points, 15 assists and won MVP honors, and Durant scored 30 points. Griffin finished with 19, joining his Clippers teammate, Paul, in creating Lob City deep in the heart of Texas.

"You just want to play fast. I like to throw the lob. I like to see guys hit 3s,'' Paul said. "When we're out on the court with all that firepower, why wouldn't you want to make passes? You've got KD filling one of the lanes, you've got Blake, Kobe on the wing. There's nothing like it.''

Bryant added a second late block of James, the MVP of the 2006 game here after leading a big East comeback. This time, he scored 19 points but shot only 7 of 18 after making 60 percent of his shots in six straight games before the break.

Carmelo Anthony led the East with 26 points and 12 rebounds.

"I think we played really good defense at the end of the game as a team,'' Durant said. "Kobe was really going with the ball. It's tough to stop LeBron, but he did his best. He was able to block a few of his shots. But CP did a really good job of keeping us in the game.''

The first dunk of the game came 16 seconds in, Paul throwing a pass to Griffin as part of the West's 7-0 start. The West led after each of the first three quarters, though was never ahead by more than eight points through three periods.

They finally pushed it into double figures early in the fourth fueled by former Oklahoma City teammates Russell Westbrook and James Harden, but couldn't put it away until a late run behind the guys from the city of Los Angeles - who along with Lakers center Dwight Howard gave Los Angeles all but one of the West's starting spots.

Paul hit two 3-pointers, Bryant made a layup, and his block of James led to Durant's dunk that made it 136-126. Griffin had one last forceful dunk to help close it out, throwing a pass to himself off the backboard and climbing high in his neon green sneakers to slam it home and make it 142-134.

Harden had 15 points in his home arena, where the sights of the game were on the floor and the sounds were at the rim - which shook repeatedly after thunderous dunks for most of the game before, as usual, players tried to make some stops down the stretch.

Players' sneakers were a variety of pastels and fluorescent colors that looked like they came right from Easter Sunday church, many clashing so badly with their multi-colored socks that they may as well have been created by spilling out random paint buckets.

James and Dwyane Wade wore purple, and Griffin's neon look was also sported by the usually not-so-loud Tim Duncan and Brook Lopez.

But the NBA's high-flyers sure could leap in them.

Durant slammed one down so hard at one point that he stumbled backward after landing, appearing woozy. He came in as the career leader in points per game with 28.3 and may have won a second straight MVP award if not for Paul's big finish.

But the Kobe-LeBron matchup down the stretch showed that even in an All-Star game, when it's time to determine a winner, the 34-year-old Bryant is all business.

"It was all in good spirit, man. It was just two guys that love to compete, love to go at it. So I had a lot of fun,'' said James, who at 28 has plenty of time to catch up to Jordan and Bryant in when it comes to NBA championships.

Bryant finished with only nine points, but had eight assists. Griffin shot 9 of 11 from the field and didn't miss until trying to violently throw one down from a few feet away from the basket.

Indiana's Paul George scored 17 and Kyrie Irving had 15 for the East.

Not everybody had it so easy. Chris Bosh shot two airballs in the first quarter and was booed, tossed up another in the second, and had Tony Parker dribble the ball through his legs on defense. He was even pulled down the stretch by his own coach, Erik Spoelstra, right after Bryant blew right by him for a layup.

Bosh finished 3 of 9. Wade had 21 points on 10-of-13 shooting, the best performance of the three Heat players in the starting lineup. He and James helped the East pull out a two-point win in the 2006 game here, but the West didn't play Bryant-level defense back then.

"Second time in Houston, it was great,'' Wade said. "We didn't get the win, but we are all winners, because all 24 of us are All-Stars. So it was great.''

There were plenty of laughs, players performing comedic skits and poking fun at each other on the Toyota Center's massive overhead scoreboard. Even the celebrities that surrounded the court - Westbrook almost crashed into Beyonce and Jay-Z while trying for a first-half steal - seemed entertained.

Two of Houston's biggest basketball stars, Hakeem Olajuwon and Yao Ming, who was honored after the first quarter, and Olympic gold medalists Usain Bolt and Gabby Douglas were among the athletes who weren't in the game.

Players wore warmup jackets with patches commemorating their individual and team career accolades during a lengthy pregame that included a performance by Ne-Yo. They actually warmed up twice, needing to get loose again after watching and being introduced during the elaborate show.

The game capped a weekend of change in Texas, where David Stern presided over his final All-Star game as commissioner and players' association executive director Billy Hunter was voted out of office - a result he seems likely to contest.

Boston's Kevin Garnett said before coming to Houston he thought his 15th All-Star selection would be his last, and turned it over to the young guys early. He played only 6 minutes of the first half before calling it a night.