Pau Gasol piled on 28 points as the Los Angeles Lakers squeezed past the Phoenix Suns 115-110 in NBA action on Wednesday.
Kobe Bryant had seven of his 18 points in the last six-and-a-half minutes, enabling the home team to hang on and avoid consecutive defeats following the loss to Sacramento on Tuesday.
The Suns played without Raja Bell, Boris Diaw and rookie Sean Singletary, traded to Charlotte earlier in the day for Jason Richardson, Jared Dudley and a draft pick.
Phoenix were also without former Lakers star Shaquille O’Neal, whose great-grandmother died aged 92 this week.
Cavaliers 101, 76ers 93
In Philadelphia, LeBron James scored 29 points and Mo Williams added a season-high 27 as Cleveland cruised to their 10th consecutive victory, beating Philadelphia.
Anderson Varejao added 15 points and Ben Wallace had 10 rebounds for the Central Division-leading Cavaliers, who improved to 19-3 and 7-3 on the road. They are one win shy of tying the franchise record of 11 straight wins set during the 1988-1989 season.
Andre Iguodala scored a season-high 27 points for the 76ers.
Spurs 95, Hawks 89
In San Antonio, Texas, Manu Ginobili scored 27 points in a return to his sixth-man role to help San Antonio extend their winning streak to four games.
Tim Duncan, playing in his 1,000th NBA game in the regular season and playoffs, added 19 points and 11 rebounds. Joe Johnson led Atlanta with 29 points.
Knicks 121, Nets 109
In East Rutherford, New Jersey, Al Harrington scored a season-high 39 points and fellow New Jersey high school star Tim Thomas also had his best game of the season as New York rallied to beat the Nets.
Harrington was a point short of his career high, while Thomas scored a season-high 26. Acquired in separate deals on the same day last month, Harrington and Thomas were too athletic for the Nets’ forwards, helping New York storm back from a poor start.
Wilson Chandler added 24 points for the Knicks, who rebounded from a 105-100 loss in Chicago on Tuesday and won for just the second time in six games.
Devin Harris scored 32 points for the Nets.
Hornets 105, Bobcats 89
In New Orleans, Chris Paul had 15 points and 15 assists, while David West and Peja Stojakovic each scored 17 points in New Orleans’ seventh win in eight games.
Rookie D.J. Augustin scored a career-high 28 points to lead Charlotte.
The Bobcats took the floor with a depleted line-up shortly after a multi-player trade that sent leading scorer Jason Richardson to Phoenix.
Nuggets 116, Timberwolves 105
In Denver, Colorado, Carmelo Anthony matched the NBA record for points in a quarter with 33 in the third and finished with a season-high 45 for the game as Denver downed Minnesota.
Anthony tied the NBA mark of 33 points set by San Antonio’s George Gervin in the second quarter against New Orleans on April 9, 1978. Anthony broke the franchise record of 32 set by David Thompson against Detroit, also on April 9, 1978.
Minnesota have lost seven straight games, the past two since Kevin McHale took over as coach.
Raptors 101, Pacers 88
In Toronto, Jason Kapono scored a season-high 25 points and Chris Bosh added 21 points and 10 rebounds as Toronto beat Indiana to snap a five-game losing streak and give interim coach Jay Triano his first win since he took over from the fired Sam Mitchell.
Jamario Moon also had a season high with 17 points for Toronto.
Danny Granger led Indiana with 22 points and Troy Murphy had 20 points and 20 rebounds. The Pacers have lost four straight and nine of 11.
Wednesday’s other NBA results:
• Warriors 119, Bucks 96
• Grizzlies 108, Thunder 102
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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