Dirk Nowitzki scored 28 points to help the Dallas Mavericks beat the Detroit Pistons 92-88 in a matchup of the top NBA teams from the Eastern and Western conferences on Sunday.
Devin Harris added 22 for the Mavericks, who avenged a 92-82 home loss to the Pistons on Dec. 7 by ending Detroit's five-game winning streak.
Detroit was coming off its first 5-0 West Coast trip in 15 years, but played without All-Star point guard Chauncey Billups, who injured his groin in Friday's win at Phoenix.
Ronald Murray scored 18 points to lead six Pistons in double figures.
The Pistons led 73-69 early in the fourth, but the Mavericks answered with a 9-0 run. Detroit came back to tie it at 81, then the Pistons struggled from the field and the foul line -- Richard Hamilton was 2-for-7 on free throws in the quarter.
Knicks 92, Raptors 74
At New York, Stephon Marbury scored 14 of his 21 points in a dominant third quarter that lifted New York past Toronto.
Rookie Renaldo Balkman added 15 points and 12 rebounds as an energetic replacement for center Eddy Curry, who battled foul trouble and was held to five points.
Balkman made all seven shots he took, and his rebounding and defense helped spark a 27-5 run that gave the Knicks a 20-point lead.
Chris Bosh scored 21 points for the Raptors, who have lost two straight after a four-game winning streak. T.J. Ford added 14 points.
Magic 97, Heat 83
At Miami, Hedo Turkoglu scored 11 of his 20 points in the first quarter, Dwight Howard added 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Orlando ended Miami's nine-game winning streak.
Orlando also ended Miami's run of 14 straight wins at home by shooting 50 percent and outrebounding the Heat 44-34. Darko Milicic had 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic.
Lakers 109, Timberwolves 102
At Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant became the first Los Angeles player in 44 seasons with consecutive 50-point games, following a 65-point effort with 50 against Minnesota.
After shooting 23-for-39 from the field in Friday's overtime victory against Portland, Bryant was 17-for-35 against the Timberwolves, who lost their 10th straight road game.
The last time a Lakers player scored 50 or more points in consecutive games was in December 1962, when Elgin Baylor did it in three straight contests. Only two other players in the last 10 years have recorded back-to-back 50-point games -- Antawn Jamison (51-51) in December 2000 and Allen Iverson (54-51) in December 2004.
Nets 101, Clippers 95
At East Rutherford, New Jersey, Jason Kidd had 23 points and 13 assists, and hit four free throws in the final 18.5 seconds to lead New Jersey over Los Angeles.
Vince Carter added 22 points and Richard Jefferson had 18 points and 12 rebounds to help the Nets win for the third time in four games and remain in a playoff position with 15 games left in the regular season.
Mikki Moore added seven of his 13 points in the fourth quarter for New Jersey, which forced 18 turnovers by the Clippers.
SuperSonics 95, Trail Blazers 77
At Portland, Oregon, Rashard Lewis had 27 points and 12 rebounds, and Seattle snapped a five-game losing streak with a victory over Portland.
Chris Wilcox scored 26 for the Sonics, who led by as many as 14 points early, but let the Blazers close the gap in the fourth quarter before pulling away with a 20-4 run.
Rockets 124, Sixers 74
At Philadelphia, Yao Ming (姚明) scored 24 points, Tracy McGrady added 21, and Houston coasted past Philadelphia.
Luther Head scored 13 points off the bench for Houston, while Chuck Hayes finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds in helping the Rockets set season highs in points and margin of victory.
It was the most points allowed in a game this season by the 76ers and largest margin of defeat in Wachovia Center history.
The game was never close after the opening minutes and the Rockets beat the 76ers just about every way possible. Houston had a 54-36 edge on the glass and a 54-8 advantage on points in the paint.
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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