LeBron James scored a season-high 41 points, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers over the Detroit Pistons 101-97 in overtime in the NBA on Wednesday.
James almost won the game in regulation with a 27-footer, but a video review negated the dramatic shot.
He set the tone early in overtime, making free throws and blocking Richard Hamilton's shot with a fantastic block in front of the rim.
Hamilton scored 29 points, Chris Webber had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Chauncey Billups had 16 points and 14 assists and Tayshaun Prince added 12 points.
James led the way but he had plenty of help. Drew Gooden had 22 points and 10 rebounds, Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 14 points and 10 boards, and Larry Hughes added 12 points.
Heat 103, Bulls 70
At Miami, Shaquille O'Neal had 24 points, nine rebounds and a season-high eight assists, Eddie Jones added 23 points, and Miami put together a huge second-half run to beat Chicago.
The Heat, who never trailed, led by 19 points in the opening quarter and, after the Bulls got within three midway through the third, outscored Chicago 38-9 over a 15-minute stretch before coach Pat Riley emptied the bench.
Antoine Walker had 14 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, while Udonis Haslem added 12 points for the Heat -- who've won 10 straight at home, moved within three games of Washington in the Southeast Division and got a measure of revenge for the 42-point beating Chicago inflicted in Miami on opening night, when the Heat raised their championship banner.
Hawks 100, Wizards 97
At Atlanta, Zaza Pachulia scored a career-high 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and short-handed Atlanta beat Southeast Division-leading Washington to snap a six-game losing streak.
The Hawks ended the Wizards' three-game winning streak, despite missing three starters. Atlanta beat Washington for only the second time in the last 12 meetings.
The Hawks were without leading scorer Joe Johnson, forward Marvin Williams and point guard Speedy Claxton.
76ers 92, SuperSonics 89
At Philadelphia, Andre Iguodala had his third triple-double and Joe Smith swished the winning jumper with 14.4 seconds left to lead resurgent Philadelphia to its fifth straight win.
In other games, it was: Raptors 94, Grizzlies 87; Rockets 111, Celtics 80; Bucks 110, Lakers 90; Jazz 94, Pacers 72; Suns 115, Bobcats 106, OT; Warriors 110, Nuggets 96; Hawks 100, Wizards 97; 76ers 92, SuperSonics 89; Raptors 94, Grizzlies 87; Rockets 111, Celtics 80; Bucks 110, Lakers 90.
Shohei Ohtani and his wife arrived in South Korea with his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates yesterday ahead of their season-opening games with the San Diego Padres next week. Ohtani, wearing a black training suit and a cap backwards, was the first Dodgers player who showed up at the arrival gate of Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. His wife, Mamiko Tanaka, walked several steps behind him. As a crowd of fans, many wearing Dodgers jerseys, shouted his name and cheered slogans, Ohtani briefly waved his hand, but did not say anything before he entered a limousine bus with his wife. Fans held placards
Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying yesterday advanced to the quarter-finals at the All England Open, beating Kim Ga-eun of South Korea 21-17, 21-15. With the win, Tai earned a semi-final against China’s He Bingjiao, who beat Michelle Li of Canada 21-9, 21-9. Defending champion An Se-young defeated India’s P.V. Sindhu 21-19, 21-11. An on Wednesday cruised into the second round, unlike last year’s men’s winner, Li Shifeng, who suffered a shock defeat. South Korea’s An, the world No. 1, overcame Taiwan’s Hsu Wen-chi 21-17, 21-16 to set up the match against Sindhu. In other women’s singles matches, Taiwan’s Sung Shuo-yun lost 21-18, 24-22 against Carolina Marin of
EYEING TOP SPOT: A victory in today’s final against Storm Hunter and Katerina Siniakova would return 38-year-old Hsieh Su-wei to the world No. 1 ranking Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens on Thursday secured a spot in the women’s doubles finals at the BNP Paribas Open after dispatching Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) at Indian Wells. Hsieh and her Belgian partner Mertens, who won the Australian Open in late January, coasted through the first set after breaking their opponents’ serve twice, but found the going tougher in the second. Both pairs could only muster one break point over 12 games, neither of which were converted, leaving the set to be decided by a tiebreaker. Hsieh and Mertens took a 6-3 lead,
DOUBLES PAYBACK: Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Martens avenged their defeat in the quarters at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open against Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei on Wednesday advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s doubles at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. Hsieh and partner Elise Mertens of Belgium dispatched Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani 6-1, 6-4 to set up a clash against Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez for a spot in the final of the WTA 1000 tournament. Hsieh and Martens made a blistering start to their rematch after they lost to Schuurs and Stefani in the quarter-finals at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open last month, winning three games without reply at the start of the first set