Germany’s Dirk Nowitzki had 31 points and 15 rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks extended their winning streak to 12 games with a 103-97 victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday.
DeShawn Stevenson added a season-high 17 points, while Caron Butler had 16 points for Dallas.
The Mavericks hit 14 of 26 from three-point range to prevail in a matchup of Western Conference heavyweights.
Deron Williams scored 19 of his 34 points in the first half to lead the Jazz, who had won nine of 11. Paul Millsap added 16 points, while Ronnie Price scored 14 for Utah.
HEAT 104, KINGS 83
In Sacramento, California, Dwyane Wade’s flying, one-handed rebound jam highlighted his 36-point night as Miami beat Sacramento for their season-best eighth straight win.
LeBron James scored 25 and Chris Bosh added 14 points and a season-high 17 rebounds as the Heat broke open a close game in the third quarter.
After losing three of four in late November, the Heat have won every game during this winning streak by double digits.
Omri Casspi had 20 points for the Kings, who have lost 15 of 17 and have the second-worst record in the NBA.
RAPTORS 120, PISTONS 116
In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Jerryd Bayless matched a career high with 31 points as Toronto pulled off their biggest comeback in -franchise -history to beat Detroit.
Toronto overcame a 25-point second-half deficit to end a four-game losing streak. The victory was just the Raptors’ third of the season on the road.
Italy’s Andrea Bargnani added 22 points, including a pair of key three-pointers in the fourth quarter, while Brazilian Leandro Barbosa scored 20. Ben Wallace had a career-high 23 points and 14 rebounds, while Rodney Stuckey scored 23.
Toronto shot 65 percent from the floor in the first half, but committed 14 turnovers that led to 29 Detroit points. The Pistons only turned the ball over once on their way to a 72-53 lead.
GRIZZLIES 84, CLIPPERS 83
In Los Angeles, Zach Randolph had 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Spain’s Marc Gasol added 17 points as Memphis held on to beat Los Angeles.
Baron Davis missed an 18-footer at the buzzer for the Clippers, who were coming off an 87-86 loss to the Lakers on Derek Fisher’s driving layup at the buzzer on Wednesday.
Eric Gordon scored 25 points, while Blake Griffin had 19 points and 11 rebounds for Los Angeles.
Gay, the Grizzlies’ leading scorer, was held to 12 points on five for 12 shooting.
BULLS 113, TIMBERWOLVES 82
In Chicago, Derrick Rose had 21 points and seven assists to lead Chicago over Minnesota for their season-best fifth straight victory.
Rose set a career high with five three-pointers. It was the third time this season he has made four or more threes. He made that many just once during his first two NBA seasons.
Luol Deng added 19 points and Carlos Boozer 17 for Chicago, which out-rebounded Minnesota 53-36.
Kevin Love had 23 points and 15 rebounds, while Michael Beasley added 16 points for the Timberwolves.
In Saturday’s other action, it was:
‧ Rockets 110, Cavaliers 95
‧ Celtics 93, Bobcats 62
‧ Hawks 97, Pacers 83
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
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
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just
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