Sunday, October 14, 2007
Hayes Helps Pistons Edge Nuggets
Detroit 109, Denver 106
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Oct. 14 (AP) -- Jarvis Hayes scored 24 points and Tayshaun Prince added 19 points to help the Detroit Pistons beat the Denver Nuggets 109-106 in a preseason game Sunday.
The Nuggets were missing most of their top players, including Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, Kenyon Martin and Nene.
Detroit had its full lineup, but guard Richard Hamilton left the game midway through the third quarter after spraining his left ankle while going for a rebound. Chauncey Billups added 16 points and Jason Maxiell had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Pistons.
Michigan native Anthony Roberson led the Nuggets with 20 points, while Bobby Jones scored 17 and Von Wafer added 16. Marcus Camby was the only Denver starter to reach double figures, finishing with 10 points and 16 rebounds.
Detroit led by as many as 13 in the first half, and had a 63-54 halftime advantage. Prince had 17 of his 19 in the first half.
Denver, though, rallied in the third quarter, tying the game at 74 on Camby's fast-break dunk with 3 minutes left. The game was deadlocked at 79 going into the fourth, and stayed close throughout the period. Roberson's jumper pulled Denver within 105-104 with 27.6 seconds left.
Maxiell made it 107-104 with two free throws, and Roberson missed a tying 3-pointer before rookie Rodney Stuckey clinched the game from the line.
source : NBA.com
Blazers Snap Hawks?Three-Game Win Streak
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Full Time | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trail Blazers | 25 | 26 | 22 | 29 | 102 | ||||
| Hawks | 25 | 28 | 17 | 19 | 89 |
Portland 102, Atlanta 89
ATLANTA, Oct. 14 (AP) -- LaMarcus Aldridge had 29 points and nine rebounds to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 102-89 victory over Atlanta on Sunday, the Hawks' first loss in four preseason games.
Channing Frye added 14 points and six rebounds, and Joel Przybilla had 12 rebounds for the Trail Blazers (2-1). Marvin Williams led the Hawks with 18 points and seven rebounds, and Joe Johnson added 15 points.
Two members of last season's NCAA champion Florida team opposed each other, with Al Horford finishing with 14 points and 11 rebounds for Atlanta and Taurean Green scoring seven points in limited action for the Trail Blazers.
Notes: Hawks coach Mike Woodson said before the game that he expects Acie Law to undergo an MRI on Monday on his left wrist, which he sprained Thursday night against Charlotte. ... Portland rookie Greg Oden, the first overall pick in the draft, will be traveling on some trips this season, but did not make the trip to Atlanta. He's recovering from right knee surgery that will keep him out all season.
source : NBA.com
Kings Notes: Frontcourt Mates Working To Shake Rust Before Season
The potential is there.
A slimmer Brad Miller at center, next to a lengthy and active Mikki Moore in the paint. The combination gives the Kings scoring options down low and plenty of passing ability, albeit with the disclaimer that the wing players need to help rebound.
But the performance isn't matching the potential quite yet.
The pinpoint passes Miller is known for are a bit off target, while Moore has struggled to keep pace during some game action. The frontcourt duo had five turnovers apiece in the exhibition-opening win over Seattle on Tuesday, then combined for five more turnovers in Thursday's loss to Phoenix.
And while one would be hard pressed to wipe the smile off either player's face -- Miller because he's enjoying life without the 25 pounds he lost in the offseason and Moore because he's just the cheery type -- Kings coach Reggie Theus is looking for more. Like Rick Adelman and Eric Musselman before him, Theus will rely on Miller's passing skills but expects to see a refined version come November.
"On the court so far, he's moving well," Theus said. "I think his timing has not been very good. He's trying passes right now that are not there. He sees them, and they're not there. "Defensively, he's busting his (butt), really getting after it. He's trying to be in the right spots."
Miller disputes none of it -- the critique of himself or the 31-year-old Moore. The braided big man, who signed a three-year contract worth $17 million during the offseason, has been candid, admitting that the pressure that comes with his deal has been on his mind. He's tallied a combined seven points and five rebounds in 49 minutes.
"Once he gets his (darn) legs in normal shape, he'll be all right," Miller said. "He's an old guy like me. It takes us a while to get our legs underneath us on our shots and timing."
Theus said Moore's conditioning has been an issue.
"I think Mikki struggled the first two games, and I think his conditioning is average," Theus said. "Right now, I think part of his problem is he's tired. He's pressing. ... All of that comes from not being in the best condition possible. Some of that doesn't have anything to do with what he's done here, but with what he did before he got here this summer."
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source : sacbee.com
LeBron Ready For Season
CLEVELAND: Two weeks into the season, the Cavaliers still have so many questions. But also one profound answer.
No one is sure how the roster will look on opening night, with unsigned players holding out. There's a new style of offense that looks as if it is going to come with growing pains. The big-man rotation is suspect at best. Several players expected to be in the rotation are injured.
Then you have LeBron James, who almost makes you forget it all.
James showed up to training camp in the best shape of his career.
He's getting to practices early, he's staying late, and his most popular flaw, his jumper, never has looked better after a summer of diligent work.
''LeBron is at the center of everything we do,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. ''No one on the team works harder than him, and it sets a great example for the other guys.''
Last year, James' energy level was inconsistent in the first half of the season, probably a result of a summer of heavy play with Team USA. James' national team obligations were significantly less this summer, and he spent extra time working on his game no matter where he was in the country.
That has James feeling perhaps more confident than ever about his game.
''This could be my best season,'' James said simply after Friday night's preseason game against the Seattle SuperSonics.
''As an individual, I continue to improve every year. I know how hard I worked all summer. Think I was more focused this summer on doing the things I needed to do,'' he said. ''I was more consistent, going to the gym two or three times a day. I got into a routine, and even days when I didn't want to go, I went, and it is paying off for me.''
James' stats from the Cavs' three preseason games last week aren't flashy he has averaged 11.3 points on 46 percent shooting in 21 minutes a game but he has looked to be in midseason form when he has been on the floor.
''I've been able to get to any spot on the floor if I want to,'' James said. ''We have a long way to go as a team, but as an individual, I think I am ready.''
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source : ohio.com
Trip Helped Raptors Bond
MADRID–The grand European experiment is over, a success by any number of standards as the Raptors gained valuable life experience, got enough basketball work in to satisfy a demanding coach and – most importantly – learned a little bit more about each other.
A trip through Italy and Spain that included piazzas and plazas, receptions and restaurants and homecomings for Rome's Andrea Bargnani, Treviso's Maurizio Gherardini, and Spaniards Jorge Garbajosa and Jose Calderon, was a hit.
Even T.J. Ford, who was hardly enthusiastic about the trip as it began, came to appreciate what he was seeing, and what he was learning. And he made one of the more astute observations of the reason behind the whole 16 days.
"You get to see how famous these guys are," said Ford. "We have no idea. Being in the States, they can kind of float at their own will but just being here and in Italy, to see how much attention those guys get on and off the court is something good for us to see.
"I enjoyed every last minute of it."
While the Raptors were a close group before leaving Canada on Sept. 28, they appeared to grow even tighter over here and that's going to be significant as the season unfolds. Basketball, perhaps more than any other sport, is a game where chemistry counts and the more everyone knows about the guy next to him – and the more mutual respect for their backgrounds that exists – the better.
"I think this trip definitely helped us being even more open than we are, especially with the European guys," said Ford. "... we spent so much time together, you definitely learn so many things.
"You get to learn everybody's mindset mentally and everybody's determination for the season."
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source : thestar.com
Far East Trip Thrill For Orlando Magic
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Each coach and player approaches a road trip differently, especially one the length and magnitude of the Orlando Magic's nine-day journey through China.
Head coach Stan Van Gundy wanted to spend a large chunk of the 17-hour flight reviewing everything the Magic have done the past two weeks and everything they will do while in the Far East.
Pat Garrity packed two 600-page novels to pass the time. Dwight Howard had his PlayStation 2 video player, always a travel companion of his on any journey. Jameer Nelson was much like a kid traveling to Disney World because he was so giddy about seeing the sights in a faraway land.
Then there's center Adonal Foyle, the kind of deep thinker who usually sticks out in an NBA locker room the way Bill O'Reilly would at a rap concert.
As soon as Foyle found out months ago the Magic would be traveling to China, he went to work studying dynamics of the country, particularly Shanghai. Foyle, a political activist who once made a presentation to former President Bill Clinton, is fascinated with how China has been able to thrive even as much of the world has experienced an economic downturn.
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source : floridatoday.com
Shaq Injured In Heat's Preseason Loss To Bobcats
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The preseason setbacks are now coming in twos for the Heat, which fell to 0-4 after Friday's loss to the Charlotte Bobcats at Greensboro Coliseum.
But of far greater significance than the game's 92-76 outcome was the player it claimed. Heat center Shaquille O'Neal left in the first quarter shortly after he sustained a left quadriceps contusion.
O'Neal immediately grabbed his hip and grimaced after a collision with Bobcats center Emeka Okafor just five minutes into the game.
O'Neal had attempted a hook shot in the lane. Okafor jumped to block the shot, but caught O'Neal with a knee.
O'Neal remained in the game for several minutes before he was replaced. He re-entered late in the first quarter but was noticeably limping and soon came out for good. He stayed in the locker room for the second half as the Heat was blown out for the third time in four games.
After the game, O'Neal said he didn't believe the injury was serious. He seemed more frustrated that he had another ''freak injury'' despite his wearing padded protection.
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source : miamiherald.com
Chandler, Jackson Push Hornets Past Suns
New Orleans 111, Phoenix 106PHOENIX, Oct. 13 (AP) -- Bobby Jackson and Tyson Chandler each scored 19 points to lead the New Orleans Hornets over the Phoenix Suns 111-106 Saturday night in preseason play.
Morris Peterson made a 3-pointer with 3:23 left to give the Hornets (2-1) the lead for good at 105-102.
Shawn Marion scored 18 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in 29 minutes, sitting out the fourth quarter along with the other Suns regulars.
Chandler added nine rebounds in 24 minutes for New Orleans, which used some of its starters until the end.
Sean Marks and Marcus Banks, who helped spark a late fourth-quarter rally, each had 14 points for Phoenix (1-1).
Rasual Butler added 13 points for the Hornets, while David West was held to 2-of-12 shooting and finished with six points and seven rebounds.
Chris Paul scored seven straight points to give the Hornets the lead midway through the third quarter, and Peja Stojakovic hit back-to-back 3-pointers to help New Orleans opened a double-digit advantage.
But Boris Diaw and Raja Bell hit back-to-back shots to cut the Hornets' lead to 96-91 with 7:35 left, and second-round pick D.J. Strawberry made a layup and a 3-pointer to get Phoenix within 100-99 with 5:41 remaining. Banks hit a 3-pointer with 4:33 left to give Phoenix a 102-100 lead.
Steve Nash added 13 points and 11 assists, 10 in the first half to help Phoenix keep it close.
New Orleans had opened up a 20-point first-half lead, sparked by free-agent acquisition Melvin Ely, who scored 10 points in the second quarter. But Phoenix took advantage of a Hornets cold spell to cut the lead to 57-54 at the break.
New Orleans missed 14 of its last 15 shots of the second quarter after leading 51-31 with 8:30 left in that period.
Ely was listed as being out with a viral infection. He had sat out the Hornets' first two games.
Phoenix offseason pickup Grant Hill missed seven of his first nine shots and finished 4-of-11 for 12 points. Bell added 14 points.
source : NBA.com
Duncan Score 20 Points Lead Spurs vs. Panathinaikos
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Full Time | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panathinaikos | 25 | 19 | 20 | 27 | 91 | ||||
| Spurs | 32 | 28 | 32 | 21 | 113 |
San Antonio 113, Panathinaikos 91
SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 13 (AP) -- Tim Duncan scored 20 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 113-91 victory Saturday over Panathinaikos of Greece.
The reigning NBA champion Spurs never trailed against the Euroleague champions and were up by as many as 29 in the exhibition game.
Duncan played just over 21 minutes and sat out the fourth quarter, as did the Spurs' other starters.
Manu Ginobili added 15 points for San Antonio, including a highlight-worthy dunk early in the third quarter and two 3-pointers. Brent Barry added 12 points for the Spurs and was 3-of-6 from behind the arc in the team's second preseason contest.
Sarunas Jasikevicius and Mike Batiste led Panathinaikos, which has won four Euroleague titles the past eight years, with 18 points apiece. Sani Becirovic had 13 points and Milos Vujanic added 12. The team lost to the Houston Rockets 107-70 in an exhibition game on Thursday.
The Spurs dropped their first preseason game 88-67 to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.
The Spurs' Tony Parkersat out for the second game in a row to rest his body after a long summer playing for the French national team.
Heading into the second quarter the score was 32-25, but the Spurs took over from there, extending their lead to as many as 19 points with 3:19 left in the half on Barry's third 3-pointer of the night.
Jasikevicius led Panathinaikos with 15 points at the half, but the Spurs were ahead 60-44.
Ginobili's flying dunk with 10:40 left in the third put the Spurs up 64-46, and the lead grew to 89-60 with 1:12 left after a three-point play by Barry.
Duncan finished 6-of-9 from the field and made eight of 10 free throws.
In the fourth, the Spurs gave reserves and training camp invitees a chance to play, including Darius Washington, who had 10 points.
Panathinaikos never got closer than 107-89 with 2:16 left in the final period.
Notes: Blue and white Greek flags were scattered throughout the crowd, with one large group up high periodically chanting and singing to the drum they apparently brought along. ... Spurs backup point guard Jacque Vaughn didn't play due to a strained right calf. ... San Antonio players offered Panathinaikos players Spurs caps before tip-off, and the squad from Greece reciprocated with miniature team flags. ... The teams were tied just once, at 3-3 in the first quarter.
source : NBA.com
Brewer Scores 20 In Fourth To Beat Bucks
Utah 92, Milwaukee 78
MILWAUKEE, Oct. 13 (AP) -- Ronnie Brewer scored 20 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Utah Jazz to a 92-78 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night.
Milwaukee rookie Yi Jianlian started for the first time in the NBA and scored 13 points in 28 minutes. He also had eight of the Bucks' 30 turnovers. Mo Williams, who signed a six-year, $51.5 million contract in the summer, led the Bucks with 22 points.
Brewer only played in 56 of Utah's 82 games as a rookie last season, averaging 4.6 points, but has led the Jazz in scoring in each of their three exhibition games.
"Ronnie has played well from the beginning,'' Utah coach Jerry Sloan said. "I thought he had a very good training camp. He's been a lot more focused on what he is doing.''
The 6-foot-7 guard scored Utah's first seven points of the fourth quarter, then gave his team the lead for good at 74-73 on a pair of free throws with 6:47 left. He then led a fast break that resulted in a three-point play for Ronnie Price, extending the lead to 77-73.
"I'm just more relaxed out there and trying to play solid basketball,'' Brewer said. "Guys are looking for me when I come off screens.''
Milwaukee managed only a field goal by Royal Ivey during Utah's decisive 18-2 fourth-quarter run.
Yi grabbed the opening tip from Andrew Bogut, but had four turnovers in the first quarter. He missed his first two field goal attempts, but then made five consecutive shots and has impressed his teammates with his quickness running the floor.
Early in the third quarter, Williams led a fast break and could have made an easy layup, but instead rewarded the 7-footer's hustle by feeding him for a dunk.
"I see a big guy running that hard why would I lay it up?'' Williams asked rhetorically. "He's running the floor and I need him to get going. He's my pick-and-pop guy. I want to get him going and get him in a good rhythm.''
Michael Redd, Milwaukee's leading scorer last season, played 23 minutes and scored eight points.
Morris Almond, Utah's first-round draft choice from Rice, also started his first game in the NBA, but missed all six of his shots and was held scoreless in 22 minutes.
The Bucks and Jazz have split a pair of preseason games.
Utah played without Carlos Boozer (personal reasons) and Matt Harpring (right knee, left ankle rehab). Milwaukee coach Larry Krystkowiak chose not to play forward Bobby Simmons, who missed last season while undergoing two leg surgeries.
source : NBA.com
Diener Leads Pacers Past Sonics
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Full Time | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supersonics | 24 | 21 | 24 | 18 | 87 | ||||
| Pacers | 31 | 24 | 23 | 19 | 97 |
Indiana 97, Seattle 87
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 13 (AP) -- Travis Diener scored 15 points and Jermaine O'Neal added 14 to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 97-87 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics in an exhibition game Saturday night.
Mike Dunleavy had 14 points, Danny Granger scored 12 and Troy Murphy grabbed 12 rebounds for the Pacers, who improved to 2-0 this preseason under new coach Jim O'Brien.
Seattle rookie Kevin Durant, the second overall pick in the NBA draft, had 21 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field. Rookie Jeff Green, the fifth pick in the draft, scored 14.
The SuperSonics (1-2), who trailed by as many as 12 points in the first half, got within 78-73 early in the fourth quarter following consecutive baskets by Mouhamed Sene.
Indiana used an 8-0 run to extend its lead to 90-77 with 5 minutes left. Diener, who started in place of injured guard Jamaal Tinsley, hit two straight jumpers during the spurt.
In the first quarter, Durant's 3-pointer and Green's layup gave the Sonics a 20-15 advantage. The Pacers answered with a 10-0 run, which was capped by Granger's 3-pointer, to jump ahead by five points.
Indiana stretched its lead to 12 points following Dunleavy's 3-pointer late in the second quarter. The Sonics cut the deficit to 55-45 on Green's layup to end the half.
Notes: O'Neal started for the Pacers after missing the team's opening preseason game against New Orleans with a sore left knee. ... Seattle G/F Damien Wilkins sprained his right ankle in the second quarter and did not return. ... Pacers G Kareem Rush didn't play in the second half because of a sore right Achilles'. He scored five points in the opening half. ... Tinsley (sore right shoulder) and C David Harrison (ankle) did not play. ... Sonics G Delonte West (lower back strain) did not play. ... Seattle played its third of four straight road games to begin the preseason. The Sonics play their first home game Oct. 20 against Houston.
source : NBA.com
Wallace Helps Bobcats Top Heat
Charlotte 92, Miami 76
GREENSBORO, N.C., Oct. 13 (AP) -- Gerald Wallace scored 18 points to lead four players in double figures, and the Charlotte Bobcats beat the Miami Heat 92-76 Saturday night.
Matt Carroll added 17 points, Raymond Felton scored 13, Adam Morrison had 10 points and Emeka Okafor pulled down nine rebounds for the Bobcats (1-2), who gave Sam Vincent his first win as an NBA head coach.
Daequan Cook scored 10 points to lead the Heat (0-4), who gave up 30 points off turnovers.
Former NBA MVP Shaquille O'Neal had six points and three rebounds in the first quarter for Miami, but left the game in the closing seconds of the period with what team officials said was a bruised left quadriceps.
Miami hit five of its first six shots in the opening minutes to race out to an 11-6 lead, but Wallace scored six points during a 16-2 run that put Charlotte ahead 22-13 with 3:33 remaining in the first quarter.
Felton's jumper with 7:09 left in the second quarter capped an 11-2 run to put the Bobcats up 40-23, and his three-point play in the final seconds put Charlotte up 52-36 at the break.
The Bobcats took their biggest lead of the game late in the third quarter, going up 67-43 with 3:30 remaining on Jameel Watkins' tip-in of Okafor's missed hook shot.
source : NBA.com
Wizards?Spell Too Much for Mavs !!
Washington 90, Dallas 86
FAIRFAX, Va., Oct. 13 (AP) -- Andray Blatche had 12 points and 10 points, and the Washington Wizards beat the Dallas Mavericks 90-86 in a foul-filled preseason game on Saturday night.
Dallas, which played without three of its four top scorers from last season - reigning MVP Dirk Nowitzki, point guard Jason Terry and swingman Jerry Stackhouse - hardly resembled a team that won an NBA-best 67 games in the regular season. Nowitzki, Terry and Stackhouse were rested by coach Avery Johnson.
Washington, which took a 59-58 lead when Blatche hit two free throws with 3:22 to play in the third quarter, expanded its lead in the fourth quarter when coach Eddie Jordan made liberal use of his bench. After Dallas' Maurice Ager scored on a layup to cut the Washington lead to 67-66 with 10:05 to play, the Wizards scored 11 straight points to take a 78-66 lead with 6:14 to play.
Ager scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, leading a late Dallas run. Jared Newson hit two free throws with 11.3 seconds remaining to cut Washington's lead to 88-86. Dallas is 1-2 in the preseason.
The Wizards (2-0) shot 43 free throws, missing 14 of them. The Mavericks converted 25 of their 30 as the teams combined to commit 51 fouls.
Gilbert Arenas, in his second game after undergoing left knee surgery last April, played 17 minutes and had six points. He played 21 minutes and had nine points in his first game on Tuesday.
Brendan Haywood had 10 first-quarter points, but didn't play again.
FAIRFAX, Va., Oct. 13 (AP) -- Andray Blatche had 12 points and 10 points, and the Washington Wizards beat the Dallas Mavericks 90-86 in a foul-filled preseason game on Saturday night.
Dallas, which played without three of its four top scorers from last season - reigning MVP Dirk Nowitzki, point guard Jason Terry and swingman Jerry Stackhouse - hardly resembled a team that won an NBA-best 67 games in the regular season. Nowitzki, Terry and Stackhouse were rested by coach Avery Johnson.
Washington, which took a 59-58 lead when Blatche hit two free throws with 3:22 to play in the third quarter, expanded its lead in the fourth quarter when coach Eddie Jordan made liberal use of his bench. After Dallas' Maurice Ager scored on a layup to cut the Washington lead to 67-66 with 10:05 to play, the Wizards scored 11 straight points to take a 78-66 lead with 6:14 to play.
Ager scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, leading a late Dallas run. Jared Newson hit two free throws with 11.3 seconds remaining to cut Washington's lead to 88-86. Dallas is 1-2 in the preseason.
The Wizards (2-0) shot 43 free throws, missing 14 of them. The Mavericks converted 25 of their 30 as the teams combined to commit 51 fouls.
Gilbert Arenas, in his second game after undergoing left knee surgery last April, played 17 minutes and had six points. He played 21 minutes and had nine points in his first game on Tuesday.
Brendan Haywood had 10 first-quarter points, but didn't play again.
source : NBA.com
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