Jason Kidd recorded his 82nd career triple-double, and the New Jersey Nets erased an 18-point deficit against Chicago for the second time in a week, beating the Bulls 86-83 on Thursday.
Kidd had 23 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists for his seventh triple-double of the season. Vince Carter added 18 points for the Nets.
Andres Nocioni finished with 28 points for Chicago and Ben Gordon had 23 -- only three after halftime while being defended by Kidd.
PHOTO: EPA
Suns 109, Cavaliers 90
At Phoenix, Steve Nash had a season-high 21 assists, becoming the first player in nine years with two 20-assist games in a season and leading Phoenix past Cleveland to its eighth straight victory.
Nash, who had 20 assists against Sacramento on Dec. 5, joined Avery Johnson, now the Dallas coach, as the last two players to reach that total in the same season. Johnson did it in 1997-98. Nash's career high is 22, against New York on Jan. 2 last year.
LeBron James scored 34 points, including the first 14 of the fourth quarter, for the Cavaliers, who had their five-game winning streak snapped.
Shawn Marion led the balanced Phoenix offense with 19 points, while Raja Bell had 18, Amare Stoudemire 17, Leandro Barbosa 16 and James Jones 13. Stoudemire also had 13 rebounds and Marion 11.
The Philadelphia 76ers continued their rebuilding effort by waiving veteran power forward Chris Webber, who reportedly received a buyout on Thursday of his huge contract.
The Philadelphia Daily News reported on Wednesday that Webber, 33, and the NBA team agreed on the terms of a buyout for the remainder of his contract. Webber is making US$20.7 million this season and US$22.3 million next season.
Webber reportedly received all but approximately US$5 million of the money owed him. He is a free agent and can sign with any team.
A five-time All-Star who has yet to win a championship, Webber likely will be looking to sign with a contender, a squad that can provide playing time, or both.
Webber has played in just three of 13 games since Dec. 13 as he has been sidelined with ankle and foot injuries. He is averaging a career-low 11 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 18 games.
Boston Celtics guard Tony Allen will miss the remainder of the season after tearing ligaments in his left knee, the club said on Thursday.
"We don't know recovery time yet, but at least six months and probably longer," coach Doc Rivers told reporters.
Allen tore his anterior cruciate ligament, medial meniscus and lateral meniscus, the club said, after awkwardly falling during a home loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Shohei Ohtani on Thursday delivered his first two-homer game of the season and had six RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers poured it on with five long balls in a 19-2 victory over the visiting Athletics. Max Muncy, Andy Pages and James Outman also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who left no doubt by taking a 13-2 lead following a seven-run third inning. Muncy and Kim Hye-seong each had three hits for Los Angeles. Dodgers right-hander Matt Sauer led off a bullpen game by allowing two runs in four innings. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski (1-1) finished with four scoreless innings after he
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