Glen Davis scored a career-high 20 points to lead Boston to a 92-85 win over Detroit in a marquee NBA game on Saturday that lived up to its billing.
For the first time since 1981, two NBA teams entered a game on Jan. 5 with a combined 54 wins. For the first time since 2000, two teams played with each riding at least an eight-game winning streak. Their combined winning percent of .844 was the third highest in the shot clock era.
The Celtics extended their winning streak to nine games and snapped Detroit's streak at 11 games.
PHOTO: AFP
Nets 113, Hawks 107
At Atlanta, New Jersey won its fifth straight, rallying past Atlanta.
Jason Kidd had 10 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds for his ninth triple-double of the season.
Atlanta suffered their fourth straight loss.
Rockets 103, Knicks 91
At Houston, Yao Ming scored 30 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out six assists to lead Houston past New York.
The Rockets have now won six-straight meetings with New York.
The Knicks have dropped seven games in a row, and 13 of 14 on the road this season.
Hornets 118, Suns 113
At Phoenix, New Orleans rallied to snap Phoenix's four-game winning streak.
Chris Paul scored 28 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, and had 10 assists for the Hornets.
Bulls 94, Kings 93
At Chicago, Ben Wallace hit the go-ahead free throw and blocked a jump shot with a second left to lift Chicago to a wild win over Sacramento.
Trail Blazers 103, Jazz 89
At Portland, Oregon, Martell Webster scored 24 points in the third quarter as Portland got their revenge against Utah.
The Jazz have lost three of their past five.
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
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
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
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care