Steve Nash had 35 points and 12 assists and Amare Stoudemire added a season-high 31 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 108-101 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
Nash took advantage of point guard Chauncey Billups' absence to help hand Detroit its third straight loss. Billups is expected to miss two weeks after straining a calf muscle at the end of Friday's one-point loss to Indiana.
After the Pistons erased a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter, Nash hit consecutive jumpers to put Phoenix back ahead 95-91 with 4:10 to play.
The Pistons got within 101-99 on Carlos Delfino's layup with 1:39 left, but he missed a potential go-ahead 3-pointer on the next possession, and Nash's three-point play put the game away.
Spurs 95, Hawks 81
At San Antonio, Tony Parker scored 27 points and Tim Duncan added 17 despite playing with the stomach flu that has pestered the San Antonio roster for a week.
It was Parker's third straight game with more than 20 points.
Manu Ginobili, who missed a game this week because of stomach flu, scored 18 for San Antonio, which opened the fourth quarter with a 10-0 run for a 77-61 lead.
Joe Johnson scored 23 points for the Hawks (9-20), who have lost seven straight and 11 of 12. Atlanta has lost nine straight in San Antonio dating to Feb. 15, 1997.
Lakers 104, 76ers 94
At Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant had 35 points, eight rebounds and six assists and Los Angeles overcame another injury to starting center Kwame Brown.
The Lakers were leading 56-48 early in the third quarter when Brown was helped to the dressing room because of a severely sprained left ankle.
Kyle Korver had a season-high 29 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the 76ers, who have lost 19 of their last 23 games and 14 of 16 on the road.
Clippers 90, Knicks 80
At Los Angeles, Elton Brand scored 32 points and tied his career high with eight blocked shots to lead Los Angeles.
Chris Kaman had 13 rebounds for the Clippers, who have won four of their last five games following a six-game losing streak.
SuperSonics 101, Celtics 95
At Seattle, Chris Wilcox scored a season-high 24 points and Damien Wilkins added 20 for the Sonics.
Ray Allen, Seattle's leading scorer, was 7-of-20 from the floor for just 15 points after having a season-low 14 on Friday night in a loss to Minnesota. Tony Allen had 23 points for the Celtics in their sixth straight loss.
Rockets 111, Grizzlies 109
At Houston, Tracy McGrady scored a season-high 38 points and had nine rebounds to help Houston hand Memphis interim coach Tony Barone his first loss.
Juwan Howard added a season-high 22 points and Luther Head had 18 in the Rockets' third straight victory.
Mike Miller matched a season high with seven 3-pointers and scored 32 points for Memphis in its 12th loss in 14 games.
Mavericks 89, Nuggets 85
At Denver, Josh Howard had 28 points and 17 rebounds and Jason Terry added 21 points to lead Dallas to its 10th straight victory.
Dallas played without Dirk Nowitzki, who was sidelined by a sinus infection.
Allen Iverson had 28 points and eight assists for Denver and Earl Boykins added 20 points.
Marcus Camby had 13 points and 13 rebounds in his first game back after missing four games because of a broken finger.
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
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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
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