Riding Lin "The Beast" Chih-jeh's newfound three-point shooting touch on a 9-for-14 night, Taiwan Beer outscored the Bank of Taiwan in a 119-115 shootout at the Taipei Physical Education College Gymnasium on Saturday for its second straight 100-plus point game.
After a late-season slump that saw Lin's usually point production fall from 25.6 points per game (PPG) during his first 24 games to just 15 PPG over a recent three-game stretch, which clearly cost him a chance to win his third straight scoring title, the brewers icon rose to the occasion to help deliver the crucial victory.
The high-scoring affair began with both teams sticking to their normal half-court offense that ended the first quarter in a 28-21 Taiwan Beer lead. Then came an unstoppable beer run of 40 points resulting in a commanding 68-45 first-half lead, in which Lin was 4-for-4 from beyond the arc.
Thirty-eight third-quarter points by the bankers against mostly Taiwan Beer reserve players cut the Taiwan Beer lead to as little as seven points before the brew crew once again kicked it up a notch.
Several scoring records were shattered during the contest with the combined scoring of 234 topping the previous high of 224, which was set in an overtime bankers' win (114-110) over the Taiwan Beer on Feb. 26.
The brewers's 40 points in the second quarter also beat out the previous single-quarter scoring mark of 38 that had been shared by the bankers and the Yulon Dinos.
Taiwan Beer's 68 first-half points and the bankers' 70 second-half points also cleared previous league highs in single-half scoring.
Player of the Week winner Jien Ming-fu of the Bank of Taiwan led his team with 23 points, nine assists, five rebounds and four steals in another fine all-around effort, even though the bankers failed to come up with the win.
Antelopes 88, Hunters 67
The hunted became the hunters in Saturday night's second game as the ETTV Antelopes out-hustled the Videoland Hunters during the second half to claim an 88-67 win in both team's final regular-season game.
After an evenly fought first half that had the Antelopes clinging to a 40-36 lead, the streaky wild creatures suddenly turned loose in the third quarter on a 14-0 run to build a 19-point cushion.
Veteran point guard Chou Jung-san turned in his best performance of the season with 14 points and a game-high seven assists.
NBA
Dwight Howard scored a season-high 28 points and grabbed a career-high 26 rebounds to lift Orlando over Philadelphia 102-97 Saturday, keeping the Magic's playoff hopes alive and further damaging the 76ers'.
Allen Iverson had 36 points and five assists, while Chris Webber added 20 points and 11 rebounds for the 76ers.
Philadelphia has lost two in a row, falling 1 1/2 games behind idle Chicago with two to play. The win was the Magic's eighth in a row overall and 12th straight at home, and leaves them 2 1/2 games behind the Bulls. The Magic have two games left and the Bulls have three.
Jameer Nelson had 21 points and eight assists for Orlando, while Turkoglu added 23 points.
Bobcats 92, Pacers 91
At Charlotte, North Carolina, Primoz Brezec scored 18 points, including the basket that forced overtime, and Alan Anderson hit a free throw with 59 seconds left in the extra period to Charlotte the win.
The Pacers still clinched a playoff berth when Philadelphia lost to Orlando.
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