LeBron James had 26 points with 12 assists, and the Cleveland Cavaliers answered every time Minnesota threatened in the fourth quarter in a 107-97 win over the Timberwolves on Tuesday night.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 25 points, and Jeff McInnis had 21 for the Cavaliers, who kept their poise down the stretch against one of the Western Conference's top teams one game after they blew a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter and lost to Boston.
Kevin Garnett had 26 points, 13 rebounds and six assists for the Timberwolves. Sam Cassell added 19 points, and Troy Hudson 15 -- 10 in a 2:24 span of the fourth -- as Minnesota stormed back.
The Timberwolves played without forward Latrell Sprewell, who sprained his left foot last week.
Heat 108, Celtics 100
In Miami, Dwyane Wade had 33 points and 11 assists, Udonis Haslem scored 18 points and tied a career-high with 17 rebounds, and Miami extended its winning streak to nine games.
The Heat improved to an Eastern Conference-best 20-7, despite not having Shaquille O'Neal -- who missed his first game of the season because of a left calf bruise.
Mavericks 123, Knicks 94
In New York, Josh Howard had career highs of 26 points and 16 rebounds, and Dallas opened a 39-point halftime lead in a demolition victory over New York.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 23 points, all in the first half, and Michael Finley added 21 for the Mavericks in what was easily their most lopsided victory of the season.
Nets 94, Bobcats 91
In Charlotte, North Carolina, Richard Jefferson scored 26 points, and New Jersey snapped Charlotte's home-winning streak.
Kings 104, Wizards 93
In Sacramento, California, Peja Stojakovic hit five 3-pointers, and Mike Bibby scored seven of his 24 points in the fourth quarter of Sacramento's 16th victory in 19 games.
Stojakovic scored 26 points and Chris Webber had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Kings.
Clippers 100, Hornets 91, OT
In Los Angeles, Bobby Simmons scored 30 points, Rick Brunson scored 11 of his 18 in overtime and the Los Angeles Clippers beat New Orleans in overtime after blowing a 21-point, third-quarter lead.
Joey Graham and John Lucas each poured in 21 points as third-ranked Oklahoma State pasted Northwest Oklahoma State, 92-35, in Stillwater.
JamesOn Curry added 14 and Ivan McFarlin chipped in nine points for the Cowboys (9-0), who have won nine straight overall and six in a row at home to start the season. Oklahoma State shot a blistering 15 of 22 from beyond the arc -- a school record -- in a mismatch of monumental proportions against the NAIA school.
No. 4 N Carolina 93, Vermont 65
In Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Sean May scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Tarheels to a 93-65 win over Vermont at the Dean Dome.
Rashad McCants added 19 points for the Tar Heels (9-1), who have won nine straight after losing their season opener to Santa Clara. Raymond Felton finished with 10 points and seven assists, as North Carolina was never really threatened.
T.J. Sorrentine finished with 11 points and six assists for Vermont (3-3), which has lost two of three. Taylor Coppenrath led the Catamounts with 13 points.
No. 16 NC State 72, BYU 61
In Provo, Utah, Julius Hodge finished with 22 points and seven rebounds to lead North Carolina State to a 72-61 win over Brigham Young University at the Marriott Center.
No. 17 Iowa 83, Texas Tech 53
In Chicago, Adam Haluska dropped in 21 points as Iowa trounced Texas Tech, 83-53, at the United Center, giving Steve Alford his first win over his former basketball coach at Indiana.
No. 23 Michigan St. 76, UCLA 64
In East Lansing, Michigan, Paul Davis scored 18 points and Chris Hill added 15 as Michigan State remained unbeaten at the Breslin Center this season with a 76-64 victory over UCLA.
No. 7 Syracuse 82, Cornell 69
Hakim Warrick finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead Syracuse to an 82-69 win over Cornell in New York on Monday.
Josh Pace and Terrence Roberts each scored 16 points for the Orange, who have won 28 straight in the series. Pace pulled down nine rebounds. Cody Toppert scored 23 points for the Big Red, who have lost two straight and three of their last five games overall.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just