PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) The Dallas Mavericks built a big lead and then withstood the Portland Trail Blazers' furious comeback attempt in the fourth quarter....
Nowitzki, West lead Mavs past Blazers, 97-94
PASPN
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) The Dallas Mavericks built a big lead and then withstood the Portland Trail Blazers' furious comeback attempt in the fourth quarter.
Dirk Nowitzki had 24 points and nine rebounds, Delonte West added 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and Mavericks nearly lost a 24-point lead in a 97-94 win over Portland on Friday night.
"We took care of business early, and gave ourselves a little margin for error," Jason Terry said. "In the end we finished the game."
Shawn Marion had 17 points and 14 rebounds for defending champion Dal...
Lakers hold off Nuggets, clinch playoff berth
PASPN
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) Coach Mike Brown wasn't on the Los Angeles Lakers' bench in a suit and tie. Kobe Bryant was.
Although that's an unlikely scenario for success, the Lakers still took an enormous step toward the postseason thanks to Matt Barnes' outside shooting and Andrew Bynum's inside persistence.
Bynum had 30 points and eight rebounds, Barnes added a season-high 24 points and 10 rebounds, and the Lakers clinched a playoff berth with a 103-97 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.
LOS ANGELES (AP) Andrew Bynum had 30 points and eight rebounds, Matt Barnes added a season-high 24 points, and the Los Angeles Lakers clinched a playoff berth without Kobe Bryant or coach Mike Brown, holding off the Denver Nuggets 103-97 Friday night....
While most seem to wonder when Tim Duncan will call it a career and wait for his Hall of Fame induction, he continues to be a key part of the aging San Antonio Spurs' unexpected success....
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Dirk Nowitzki had 24 points and nine rebounds, Delonte West added 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Portland Trail Blazers 97-94 on Friday night....
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles said matter-of-factly before Friday's game at Detroit that his team needed to win out to make the postseason....
NEW ORLEANS (AP) Eric Gordon crouched near the 3-point line, dribbling between his legs, again and again, all but lulling Utah's Gordon Hayward into a trance....
Lakers HC Mike Brown Misses Game for Personal Reasons Yahoo! Contributor Network
Before the Los Angeles Lakers tipped off on Friday night against the Denver Nuggets, Lakers head coach Mike Brown was seen going through the motions. From pregame shoot-arounds to media briefings, it seemed like Brown was routinely getting ready for another NBA showdown. By all appearace, everything was going as planned....
LOS ANGELES (AP) Andrew Bynum had 30 points and eight rebounds, Matt Barnes added a season-high 24 points, and the Los Angeles Lakers clinched a playoff berth without Kobe Bryant or coach Mike Brown, holding off the Denver Nuggets 103-97 Friday night....
Fan Preview: Will the Boston Celtics Recover with Win Against the Nets? Yahoo! Contributor Network
Be it a bit of bad luck or the brutal April schedule catching up with the Boston Celtics, but the team did not look good in their 84-79 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Friday, April 13....
NEW YORK (AP) Tom Benson brought stability to the Saints nearly three decades ago and now plans to do the same for the Hornets in small-market New Orleans....
Gortat, Nash lead Suns to key win in Houston The Associated Press
HOUSTON (AP) Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry had a pretty simple solution for kick-starting Marcin Gortat in the second half of Friday's game in Houston....
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Daequan Cook left the Oklahoma City Thunder locker room, joking that he didn't want to stick around just to hear Russell Westbrook talk about his jaw-dropping dunk....
The last time the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves met, the teams' three All-Stars put on a show in the highest-scoring NBA game of the season....
With the playoffs out of the picture, all that's left for the Washington Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers to do is salvage something positive in the final weeks of the season....
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Daequan Cook left the Oklahoma City Thunder locker room, joking that he didn't want to stick around just to hear Russell Westbrook talk about his jaw-dropping dunk.
Kevin Durant couldn't help but razz his All-Star teammate before giving him a few well-deserved compliments.
In the middle of a to-be-expected blowout by the West-leading Thunder, Westbrook stole the show with his one-handed, high-rising slam of Durant's alley-oop during Oklahoma City's 115-89 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.
Gortat, Nash lead Suns to key win in Houston
PASPN
By CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON (AP) Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry had a pretty simple solution for kick-starting Marcin Gortat in the second half of Friday's game in Houston.
Gortat finished with 20 points and 15 rebounds, Steve Nash had 18 points and 10 assists and the Suns boosted their playoff hopes with a 112-105 win over the Rockets.
The Suns came into the game holding the No. 10 spot in the Western Conference, and little margin for error with only two weeks left in the regular season.
Phoenix trailed by four at halftime, largely because Houston center Marcus Camby grabbed 18 rebound...
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles said matter-of-factly before Friday's game at Detroit that his team needed to win out to make the postseason.
His players took that attitude to heart.
Drew Gooden scored 26 points, and Milwaukee pulled away from the Pistons in the third quarter for a much-needed 113-97 victory Friday night.
From start to finish, the Bucks played as if their season was on the line. Milwaukee is in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, trailing the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers by two games.
"We talked about that this morning, that no matter who it is, it's a playoff game for us," Gooden said. "We can't just worry about the New York Knicks or Philadelphia 76ers."
NEW ORLEANS (AP) Eric Gordon crouched near the 3-point line, dribbling between his legs, again and again, all but lulling Utah's Gordon Hayward into a trance.
The moment Hayward appeared sufficiently mesmerized, Gordon stepped back and made a 23-foot jumper, punctuating a game-changing performance against a Jazz squad that needed to win a lot worse than the Hornets did.
Gordon scored 10 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, and New Orleans won its first game under prospective new owner Tom Benson, 96-85 over Utah on Friday night.
"I just love those situations in the fourth quarter," Gordon said. "The second half is the toughest part of the game. ... We play ...
HOUSTON (AP) Marcin Gortat had 20 points and 15 rebounds, Steve Nash had 18 points and 10 assists and the Phoenix Suns boosted their playoff hopes with a 112-105 win over the Houston Rockets on Friday night....
NEW YORK (AP) It won't be this easy on Sunday. Not when the Miami Heat come to town for what suddenly shapes up as a possible playoff preview.
The New York Knicks sure look ready.
Baron Davis scored a season-high 18 points on his 33rd birthday, JR Smith had 23, and the Knicks surged into a tie for seventh place in the Eastern Conference by routing the Washington Wizards 103-65 on Friday night for their ninth straight home victory.
Carmelo Anthony and Steve Novak also had 18 for the Knicks, who could now be looking at a preview of a potential first-round se...
James, Bosh led Heat to 105-82 win over Bobcats
PASPN
MIAMI (AP) The Miami Heat don't get discouraged when they don't have Dwyane Wade in the lineup. They know they can win without him.
LeBron James had 19 points and nine rebounds to lead the short-handed Heat to a 105-82 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday night.
"It's business as usual," forward Chris Bosh said of the star guard's absence.
He's only slightly exaggerating as Miami improved to 11-1 in Wade's absence. He is expected back for Sunday's game at New York.
Bosh had 18 points and seven rebounds as the Heat completed a three-game season-series sweep of Charlotte. Miami led by 22 after three quarters and rested James, who also...
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Gerald Green scored 23 points, and Kris Humphries had 18 points and 13 rebounds to lead the New Jersey Nets to a 95-89 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night....
NEW ORLEANS (AP) Eric Gordon scored 10 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, and the New Orleans Hornets won their first game under prospective new owner Tom Benson, 96-85 over the Utah Jazz on Friday night....
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) Drew Gooden scored 26 points, and the Milwaukee Bucks pulled away from the Detroit Pistons in the third quarter for a much-needed 113-97 win Friday night....
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Kevin Durant had 29 points and nine rebounds, Russell Westbrook scored 22 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Sacramento Kings 115-89 on Friday night in the first of three meetings between the teams in a 12-day span.....
TORONTO (AP) The Toronto Raptors want DeMar DeRozan to assume the role of fourth-quarter finisher.
He played the part Friday night, shutting the door on one of the hottest teams in the NBA.
DeRozan scored 13 of his 22 points in the third quarter and made four pivotal free throws down the stretch as the short-handed Toronto Raptors held off the Boston Celtics 84-79 Friday night.
"I just try to be aggressive," DeRozan said. "A couple plays I saw an opportunity to get to the basket and I did. I should have made it and had an and-one ... but that's what it's all about. Getting to the line and knocking down your free throws."
DeRozan was a perfect 13-for-13 from the line as the Raptors ended a four-game losing skid despite being without two of their top players. Big man
TORONTO (AP) DeMar DeRozan scored 13 of his 22 points in the third quarter and made four pivotal free throws down the stretch as the short-handed Toronto Raptors held off the Boston Celtics 84-79 Friday night....
PHILADELPHIA (AP) The 76ers took a long tumble from the top of the Atlantic Division to eighth place in the East.
They have to hope the wins start coming in bunches again.
Because if the losses keep piling up, not only will a 20-9 start be wasted, the Sixers will miss the playoffs.
Gerald Green scored 23 points, and Kris Humphries had 18 points and 13 rebounds to lead New Jersey to a 95-89 win over Philadelphia on Friday night, three nights after the Sixers thumped the Nets by 19 points.
Philadelphia snapped a two-game winning streak and suffered a big blow in its push up the Eastern Conference standings. The 76ers fell to eighth with the loss and New ...
Hawks shoot way past Howard-less Magic 109-81
PASPN
By KYLE HIGHTOWER
Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) Last year Atlanta became one the early surprise teams of the playoffs when it beat Orlando in the first round.
Despite playing most of this season without one of their biggest pieces, the Hawks again look like the more capable team opposite a Magic squad they used to always be one step behind.
Pacers beat Cavs 102-83 to clinch playoff spot
PASPN
By CLIFF BRUNT
AP Sports Writer
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Darren Collison might want to get well soon.
While he has been recovering from a sore groin, backup point guard George Hill has proven capable as a starter. Hill had 15 points and seven assists to help the Indiana Pacers clinch a playoff spot by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 102-83 Friday night.
Indiana has won all three games Hill has started. He has averaged 16.7 points and 5.3 assists in a win over Toronto and two victories over Cleveland.
Hill scored 10 points in the second quarter on Friday, helping the Pacers rally from a 14-point deficit. He played as more of a pure point guard in the third quarter with no points, four assists and n...
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) Magic center Dwight Howard was diagnosed by a doctor in Los Angeles with a herniated disc in his lower back, a team spokesman said....
NEW YORK (AP) Tom Benson brought stability to the Saints nearly three decades ago and now plans to do the same for the Hornets in small-market New Orleans....
Mark Jackson doesn’t regret his Warriors playoffs guarantee Ball Don't Lie
When Mark Jackson became the head coach of the Golden State Warriors coach last June, he had to have known that he faced a serious challenge. Faced with an unbalanced roster and needing to change an entire culture to succeed, Jackson had a long-term project on his hands. And yet, as if that weren't an issue at all, Jackson guaranteed a spot in the playoffs and then doubled down on that prediction after the team started this season 5-10 .
With the Warriors now playing for a draft pick after overhauling their roster at the trade deadline , the playoffs are no longer even a remote hope. So it stands to reason that Jackson would regret some aspect of his postseason promise, right? Well, not quite, although his reasoning does make some sense. From Rusty Simmons for the San Francisco Chronicle (via SLAM ):...
Thunder reserve James Harden out with sore knee AP
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Top reserve James Harden missed the Oklahoma City Thunder's game Friday night against the Sacramento Kings because of a sore right knee....
Carmelo Anthony will be on “Nurse Jackie” this Sunday Ball Don't Lie
When Carmelo Anthony made it clear he wanted to be traded to the New York Knicks, one of the assumed reasons was that he desired the celebrity profile that comes with playing in New York. That rationale seemed weak to many basketball fans — it's not caring only for wins and championships. It's also his prerogative, though, and the career of his wife La La Anthony must have played some part in the decision.
[ Related: Shaq will team with a comedic heavyweight in his Hollywood return ]
Melo is now on TV fairly often apart from NBA games, with regular appearances on his wife's (actually pretty interesting and humanizing) reality show "La La's Full Court Life" and a spot on "Law and Order: SVU" way back in September. This Sunday, he'll be on the Showtime half-hour dramedy "Nurse Jackie," starring Edie Falco. From Andy Clayton for the New York Daily News (via SLAM ):...
Lakers’ Bryant Out Against Nuggets Yahoo! Contributor Network
For the past three games, the Los Angeles Lakers have been without their fearless leader Kobe Bryant, who's battling his way back from a shin injury....
Lamar Odom Should Return to Los Angeles Lakers Yahoo! Contributor Network
COMMENTARY | The 2011-2012 NBA season has been a forgetful one, to say the least, when it comes to former Los Angeles Lakers Sixth Man of the Year Lamar Odom....
The 10-man rotation, starring Jeremy Lin’s ‘uncanny valley action figure’ Ball Don't Lie
A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.
C : Angry Asian Man . Whoa. This Jeremy Lin action figure by Taiwanese sculptor VIVA Studio really is a remarkable likeness. Maybe ... too remarkable? (Basically, if this is a Jeremy Lin Chucky, I am going to FREAK OUT.)
PF : SLAM . Nima Zarrabi chops it up with Alonzo Mourning about a number of things, including how the Trayvon Martin case scares the hell out of a black dude with a 6-foot-8 teenage son who likes hoodies.
SF : Sports Illustrated . Sam Amick on a defending champion that, against all predictions, could be seven games away from the end of its season, and is fighting to ensure that that doesn't happen. (Plus, Holger is coming, which I think is perhaps the best possible "Game of Thrones" /NBA mashup there could ever be.)
SG : Bucksketball . Jeremy Schmidt wi...
Compared to the rest of the American male population, NBA athletes are tough guys whose job involves being in good shape and holding a psychological competitive edge as often as possible. By at least one definition, they are real men.
Of course, they also like to pamper themselves in more traditionally feminine ways. As Sarah Kogod of DC Sports Bog found out , several players on the Washington Wizards get regular pedicures (via TBJ ):...
Why Kevin Garnett is Once Again an MVP Candidate: Fan’s Take Yahoo! Contributor Network
Over the course of the past six weeks, Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics have experiences a sort of renaissance; with the team going from 15-17 and out of the playoffs to a solid fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. All of this is attributed to the hot pace Boston has been on since the all star break; winning 19 of their past 26 games. During this span, it has been the play of future hall of famer Kevin Garnett that has sparked Boston's resurgence; so much so that the team is now being reconsidered as a legitimate threat in the NBA East this season....
76ers Need to Earn Sixth Seed in Playoffs: A Fan's Opinion Yahoo! Contributor Network
There are eight games remaining for the Philadelphia 76ers in the regular season. At 31-27, the 76ers are currently three games behind the Boston Celtics in the Atlantic Division. Seeing that the Celtics are rolling right now, there isn't much of a chance of catching that team. However, the 76ers might be able to catch either the Orlando Magic or Atlanta Hawks and finish as the sixth seed in the conference. That would be huge for this team and it could make the difference in the playoffs....
NEW YORK (AP) Tom Benson brought stability to the Saints nearly three decades ago and now plans to do the same for the Hornets in small-market New Orleans....
The Denver Nuggets were fortunate to get a victory in their last game after failing to close out a team playing without its superstar. That could be an important lesson heading into Friday's game at Staples Center against the Los Angeles Lakers, who will try to win a third straight game without injured star Kobe Bryant....
Dwight Howard on Stan Van Gundy firing: I didn’t ask — this year Ball Don't Lie
First, Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy says he knows that All-Star center Dwight Howard has privately lobbied the team's management for his firing . Then, Howard tells everyone that he didn't do that and we should all stop being such jerks to him about it . Then, all the guys on "Inside the NBA" and a ton of other people who are good at business say that everyone involved in the situation is a bush-league dummy who shouldn't say anything about anything ever.
Meanwhile, the Magic continue to be weird and worse than they used to be, struggling through injuries to Howard and Ryan Anderson, banning their terrible, terrible reserve point guard for insubordination, and losing six of their last eight to drop to the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket.
Sound about right to y'all? Does that pretty much bring us up to speed? OK, great. Let's now watch the Magic work to get Howard back on the court and Anderson back in the flow, try to win some of their eight remainin...
Entrenched in a tight playoff race, Blake Griffin is fully aware of possible playoff scenarios, but realizes the most important thing is simply that the Los Angeles Clippers win....
Retired NBA star forward Jayson Williams was released from jail on Friday after serving eight months for drunken driving, a spokesman for the Rikers Island facility said....
NFL Saints owner Benson has deal to buy Hornets AFP
Tom Benson, owner of the NFL's New Orleans Saints, has reached a deal with the NBA to purchase the league-owned New Orleans Hornets for $338 million, the NBA reported on Friday on its website....
Fan Reaction: Who Played Well in Mavericks Win Over the Warriors? Yahoo! Contributor Network
The Dallas Mavericks win 112-103 at Golden State Warriors. The Mavericks were up by 19 late in the first half but inexplicably let up on the gas like they've done many times this year. The half ended with the Warriors down by 14. The sudden Golden State resurgence at the end of a half left me uneasy because I've seen such momentum carry over to the third quarter. Sure enough the Warriors came out firing and the Mavericks looked confused. Golden State whittled the lead down till the score was 99-88 early in the fourth quarter. ......
Retired NBA star Williams released from NYC jail AP
NEW YORK (AP) Retired NBA star Jayson Williams was freed from jail Friday after serving eight months for drunken driving in New York and 18 months before that in New Jersey on charges stemming from a limo driver's shooting death....
The Orlando Magic were hopeful a five-day break would be enough rest for Dwight Howard's sore back so he could take the court for a matchup with the Atlanta Hawks....
The New Orleans Hornets have a new owner: Tom Benson of the New Orleans Saints Ball Don't Lie
After 16 months as a ward of the NBA, the New Orleans Hornets finally have a new owner.
NBA Commissioner David Stern has said over and over again in recent months (and most recently, about two weeks ago ) that the league was "close" to finding a long-term owner for the Hornets. After entertaining multiple potential local owners last fall, it appears that the league has found its man — Tom Benson, the owner of the NFL's New Orleans Saints. Benson reportedly reached a tentative agreement to buy the team on Friday morning and could be officially announced as the Hornets' new owner on Friday afternoon following his approval by the NBA's Board of Governors, now in its second day of meetings at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City.
UPDATE: The Saints just confirmed on Twitter that Benson is officially the Hornets' new owner.
In addition to Benson's bid for the team, according to Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune , the board was also considering an offer from a prospective o...
Blazers' Loss of Aldridge Creates Big Opportunity for Hickson Yahoo! Contributor Network
COMMENTARY | The Portland Trail Blazers are ailing once again, with All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge out for the remainder of the season with a hip injury....
Bulls Defeat Heat Without Rose, 96-86 in OT: Fan Reaction Yahoo! Contributor Network
On Thursday, April 12, the Chicago Bulls defeated the Miami Heat 96-86 in overtime. The game felt like a playoff match and after the team's last meeting in March, it almost felt like business as usual without Derrick Rose....
Celtics Becoming Real Threat in East Again?: A Fan's Take Yahoo! Contributor Network
The Philadelphia 76ers have gone from leading the Boston Celtics all season to trying to catch them in the Atlantic Division. Sixers fans like myself still hope that the Celtics aren't out of reach and that they can save themselves from facing the Miami Heat or Chicago Bulls in the playoffs. Yet not only does everyone now expect Boston to win the division again, they're beginning to wonder if they can do even more....
76ers Need to Cap Perfect Week Over Nets: A Fan's Preview Yahoo! Contributor Network
The Philadelphia 76ers needed a perfect week or two to get back on their feet. Normally, Sixers fans like myself would be encouraged to have a week where they just faced the New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors. Yet wins against anyone, even inferior teams, haven't been coming easy for the Sixers lately....
Blake Griffin misses wide-open dunk, totally stinks at dunking now VIDEO (Ball Don't Lie
Would you believe me if I told you that Blake Griffin missed what The Associated Press' Jon Krawczynski called a "wide-open, uncontested dunk" in the first quarter of the Los Angeles Clippers' matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night? Of course you wouldn't. "Blake Griffin dunks on everyone all the time, and he is at the very top of the latest Dunk-O-Meter readings , which is science," you'd say. "Boy, I wish you'd quit being such a dumb liar, Dan."
Hey, man, take it easy, OK? Don't get so bent out of shape about this. Besides, I'm not lying — I can prove it, thanks to our friends at the Yahoo! Sports Minute . Behold:
Don't beat yourself up about it, Blake. I mean, if there's anything we can all relate to, it's the feeling of soaring through the air like a majestic eagle in front of thousands of people, trying to decide whether to effortlessly dunk a basketball with one hand or effortlessly dunk a basketball with two hands, and getting kind of caught up in the mi...
Miami Heat Fall Short Against Chicago Bulls: Fan Reaction Yahoo! Contributor Network
The Miami Heat missed out on an excellent opportunity to start their push for the top spot in the NBA's Eastern Conference, losing a hard-fought battle against the Chicago Bulls 96-86 on April 12. With the loss, the Heat slipped further away from the Bulls in the conference standings, currently trailing by four games....
(AP) -- The Dallas Mavericks are catching a huge break in their pursuit of a playoff spot on this critical road trip.
The Mavericks have had plenty of trouble defending LaMarcus Aldridge over the last two seasons, but won't have to deal with the injured Portland Trail Blazers star in Friday night's matchup.
Portland (28-31) announced Thursday that Aldridge will have surgery on his right hip and miss the rest of the season. The first-time All-Star averaged 21.7 points and 8.0 rebounds this season while shooting a career-high 51.2 percent.
"I'm very disappointed," Aldridge said. "I feel we have a really good group of guys here. I feel we're starting to find a really good rhythm together. So it's definitely hard to do right now."
Not including playoffs, Aldridge is averaging 28.2 points against the Mavericks ...
(AP) -- The Denver Nuggets were fortunate to get a victory in their last game after failing to close out a team playing without its superstar. That could be an important lesson heading into Friday's game at Staples Center against the Los Angeles Lakers, who put forth an impressive team effort in winning without Kobe Bryant.
The Nuggets (32-26) are in the mix for a playoff berth in the Western Conference and appeared to be cruising to a victory Wednesday over reeling Minnesota, which lost All-Star forward Kevin Love to a concussion in the first quarter.
Denver led by as many as 24, but squandered that lead before scraping out a 113-107 victory as Ty Lawson made four free throws in the final 17.6 seconds. Lawson had 24 points and rookie Keith Faried added 1...
(AP) -- Beating playoff-caliber teams has not been easy lately for the Oklahoma City Thunder, and their lead atop the Western Conference is dwindling.
The Thunder have had little trouble beating lesser opponents, though, and they still have three games to play against the already eliminated Sacramento Kings.
Oklahoma City hopes to bounce back from another tight loss and send the sputtering Kings to a season-worst seventh straight defeat Friday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
The Thunder (42-16) have dropped four of six and are struggling to hold off San Antonio for first place in the West. Oklahoma City, however, claims securing the top seed isn't its top priority.
"You're going to have to win games in the playoffs, no matter who you play," James Harden said after Wednesday's 100-98 loss to the Los Angeles Clipp...
(AP) -- After completing an impressive road trip, the Houston Rockets had a bad start to a five-game run against teams they're battling for a playoff spot.
Virtually every game remaining for the Phoenix Suns appears to be tough as they try to make the postseason.
The Rockets look to avoid a season-high third consecutive home loss Friday night and deal another blow to Phoenix's playoff hopes while boosting their own.
These teams are among a group of five within 2 1/2 games of each other for the final three playoff spots in the Western Conference.
Houston (32-26) will face all of its competitors for those postseason berths in an eight-day span starting this week, hosting Utah and the Suns before a home-and-home set against Denver and a visit to Dallas.
That stretch began in poor fashion with Wednesday's 103-91 loss to the Jazz following a 4-0 ro...
(AP) -- The Milwaukee Bucks have little room for error if they expect to remain in the playoff hunt.
After missing an opportunity to better their playoff position, the Bucks look to avoid both a straight defeat overall and their fourth straight visit to Detroit on Friday night against the Pistons.
Two nights after its four-game winning streak ended with a 109-89 loss to Oklahoma City at the Bradley Center, Milwaukee (28-30) had a chance to bounce back Wednesday by beating New York and tie the Knicks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Instead, the Bucks dropped two games behind the eighth-place Knicks after they failed to hold an eight-point fourth-quarter lead and fell 111-107 at home.
"Obviously, now, we need a little help," said Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles, whose team got outscored 27-19 by New York in the final quarter. "We need to...
(AP) -- A rash of injuries has come at an inopportune time for the Utah Jazz, but Gordon Hayward says he and his teammates remain determined to overcome that obstacle.
The Jazz will try to boost their playoff hopes by winning a third consecutive game Friday night when they visit another injury-plagued team, the New Orleans Hornets.
Already without Josh Howard and Raja Bell, both of whom are dealing with left knee injuries, Utah (31-28) lost two more players this week. Earl Watson is out indefinitely with a torn right meniscus that will likely require surgery, while C.J. Miles has a strained left calf that will be evaluated next week.
(AP) -- The New York Knicks are coming off a critical victory over their chief pursuer in their battle to make the playoffs. A matchup with the woeful Washington Wizards, however, also could turn out to be a crucial contest.
The Knicks seek their fourth win in five games when they host the Wizards on Friday night, just before a pair of first-place teams visit Madison Square Garden.
New York (30-28) won 111-107 at Milwaukee on Wednesday, moving two games ahead of the Bucks for eighth place in the Eastern Conference with eight games left for both teams. J.R. Smith's 3-pointer with 1:04 left gave the Knicks the lead, and Carmelo Anthony had 32 points and 10 rebounds.
Tyson Chandler added 19 points and 11 boards for New York, which also is one gam...
(AP) -- The Miami Heat's bid to earn the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed took a major hit with a tough loss to the NBA's top team.
They'll have a good chance to bounce back against the league's worst club.
The Heat look to avoid their first three-game losing streak in three months by sending the visiting Charlotte Bobcats to their 15th consecutive defeat Friday night.
Miami had a chance to pull within two games of the East's top spot Thursday, but instead fell four games behind conference-leading Chicago after losing the lead late in regulation and falling to the Bulls 96-86 in overtime.
LeBron James scored 30 points, but he missed the first of two free throws that could've all but sealed the game for the Heat (40-17) with 11 seconds left in regulation. Instead, Bulls guard C.J. Watson...
(AP) -- The short-handed Toronto Raptors had their point guard bloodied and their interior defense soundly beaten their last time out.
One can only imagine a motivated Rajon Rondo's eagerness, then, as he leads the resurgent Boston Celtics into Air Canada Centre for Friday night's game.
Rondo is playing the best basketball of his career as the Celtics (34-24) try to win their fifth consecutive Atlantic Division title and overtake the Indiana Pacers for third in the Eastern Conference. The point guard reached double figures in assists for the 19th straight game - matching a season high with 20 - and recorded his NBA-leading sixth triple-double of the season Wednesday when Boston won 88-86 over Atlanta in overtime.
That came one night after a big win at Miami.
"We kept fighting regardless of the other stuff out there. We ...
(AP) -- The Philadelphia 76ers got back on track earlier this week with a victory over the New Jersey Nets and now could continue their playoff push with another one.
Philadelphia goes for a third consecutive victory, which would match its longest winning streak of the past two months, as it hosts New Jersey on Friday night.
Having lost four straight to drop into a tie with New York for seventh place in the Eastern Conference, the 76ers ended New Jersey's season-high three-game home winning streak Tuesday with a 107-88 victory.
Philadelphia's 62 bench points in that contest included 20 from Lou Williams and 19 apiece from Thaddeus Young and center Spencer Hawes, who was a reserve for the first time this season.
(AP) -- The Orlando Magic were hopeful a five-day break would be enough rest for Dwight Howard's sore back so he could take the court for a matchup with the Atlanta Hawks.
It turns out he won't return, although his presence might not have made that much difference anyway.
In a matchup of teams tied for the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference, Orlando hopes to avoid losing a sixth straight regular-season game to Atlanta on Friday night at Amway Arena.
Back spasms have caused Howard to miss the last two contests and four of the Magic's six games this month. Orlando (34-24) has lost three of four in his absence, including Tuesday's 93-85 defeat to lowly Washington. Ryan Anderson shot 2 for 10 and had seven points - less than half his season average - in his second game back after miss...
(AP) -- Darren Collison should be back in the Indiana Pacers' lineup after a two-game absence, but Frank Vogel may want to make sure George Hill gets plenty of minutes against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Hill has shined in a pair of starts with Collison out, something the Cavaliers are well aware of heading into Friday's conclusion of a home-and-home set at Bankers Life Fieldhouse after Hill's performance in an overtime win.
The Pacers felt good enough about Hill - who emerged as an impressive backup to Tony Parker in San Antonio the last two seasons - to deal their top two picks the night of the 2011 draft for him to provide a change of pace behind Collison.
He did a solid job of that through his first 41 games - Hill missed 12 due to a chip fractu...
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