Tayshaun Prince scored a career-high 34 points and matched a career best with 12 rebounds as the Detroit Pistons used a big second-half run to beat the Miami Heat 91-80 on Thursday night in the season opener for both teams.
Chauncey Billups added 19 points and 11 assists for the Pistons, who used a 12-0 run over a six minute stretch midway through the second half to take control. Rasheed Wallace scored 11 points for Detroit.
Ricky Davis scored 23 points for Miami, which dropped its opener for the second straight season. Sure, this one was closer than last year's 108-66 ring-night debacle against the Chicago Bulls, but that will offer little consolation.
Shaquille O'Neal didn't score in the first half and finished with nine points for Miami, getting only six shots from the floor.
Rockets 106, Jazz 95
At Salt Lake City, Tracy McGrady scored 47 points and Houston got a little revenge for last season's opening-round playoff loss by beating Utah.
Mike James added 15 points -- two more than the Jazz reserves combined -- and Chuck Hayes had 13 rebounds for the Rockets, who improved to 2-0 under new coach Rick Adelman and have yet to play a home game this season.
Carlos Boozer had 30 points and 16 rebounds, and Mehmet Okur finished with 16 points and 10 boards, but after dominating the first quarter the Jazz tapered off in the second and never recovered.
Deron Williams had 18 points and 13 rebounds and Ronnie Brewer scored 13 points for the Jazz, who led by 12 in the first quarter before McGrady took over the game.
Suns 106, SuperSonics 99
At Seattle, Amare Stoudemire, playing for the third time since knee surgery a month ago, had 23 points and 11 rebounds and Phoenix rallied past Kevin Durant and the Sonics in the home opener of the Supersonics' 41st and probably most awkward season in Seattle.
Steve Nash had 18 points, including the clinching three-pointer, and 12 assists, while veteran Grant Hill added 13 points, six rebounds and five assists in his Suns debut. Phoenix won for just the second time in nine season openers.
Durant, the second overall draft pick, scored 27 points on 11-for-23 shooting. Chris Wilcox had 23 points and 11 rebounds for Seattle, which blew a nine-point lead it had late in the third quarter one night after getting blown out late in its opener at Denver.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and