Sun, Mar 18, 2007 - Page 22 News List

Bryant scores 65 as Lakers win

MVP NUMBERS The LA star netted his second-highest scoring game by shooting 23-for-39 from the field and 11-of-12 from the free-throw line in an overtime contest

AP , LOS ANGELES

Rockets 114, Raptors 100

At Toronto, Rafer Alston scored 23 points, Yao Ming added 23 points and 12 rebounds and Houston never trailed in beating Toronto for its fifth win in six games.

Alston, who played parts of two seasons with Toronto, also had nine assists and eight rebounds before fouling out with 3:26 to play. Tracy McGrady, who also played for Toronto, added 24 points and seven assists.

T.J. Ford had 18 points and eight assists for the Raptors, who lost for the first time in five games. Chris Bosh added 16 points and 19 rebounds, while Juan Dixon scored 17 and Andrea Bargnani had 16.

Mavericks 106, Celtics 101

At Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki scored 30 points, 19 in the final quarter, and Josh Howard matched a career high with 30 points to help Dallas bounce back from consecutive defeats by rallying from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat Boston.

Paul Pierce scored 29 points for the Celtics, who had won six of their previous nine.

Gerald Green added a career-high 25, and Al Jefferson had 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Pistons 105, Suns 83

At Phoenix, Ronald Murray scored a season-high 25 points and Detroit completed its first 5-0 road sweep through the West in 15 years and snapped Phoenix's six-game winning streak.

Murray, playing most of the night in place of injured Chauncey Billups, made 12 of 16 shots and had a season-best six steals.

Billups left the game with a strained left groin midway through the second quarter.

Rasheed Wallace scored 20 points, including 4-of-6 3-pointers, and Chris Webber added 17 for Detroit.

Amare Stoudemire had 24 points and 15 rebounds for the Suns and Steve Nash added 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting.

Warriors 106, Timberwolves 86

At Oakland, California, Jason Richardson had 14 points, seven rebounds and eight assists and Golden State maintained its hold on the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with a win over Minnesota.

Monta Ellis added 24 points and six assists off the bench, while Andris Biedrins had nine points and 12 rebounds for Golden State, which continued its resurgence with a healthy Baron Davis in the lineup.

Kevin Garnett had 19 points and 13 rebounds for Minnesota, which lost to the Warriors for only the fourth time in the teams' past 11 meetings.

At 31-36, Golden State remains just percentage points ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers (30-35) for the eighth playoff spot in the West.

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