The Denver Nuggets can go into the NBA’s All-Star break with the satisfaction of ending a 15-game losing streak in Orlando, having beaten the Magic 82-73 on Wednesday.
Carmelo Anthony had 29 points and eight rebounds for the Nuggets, who maintained their three-game lead atop the Northwest Division and won in Orlando for the first time since the 1991-92 season.
The Magic finished with a season low in points, a season-high 24 turnovers and were held to a season-low 30.4 percent shooting from the floor.
CELTICS 89, HORNETS 77
In New Orleans, Boston made it eight straight wins on the road by defeating New Orleans.
Paul Pierce scored 30 points for the Celtics.
Boston pulled away in the final quarter despite the absence of Ray Allen, who hyperextended his right thumb in the first half.
JAZZ 113, LAKERS 109
In Salt Lake City, Utah snapped Los Angeles’ seven-game winning streak with Deron Williams scoring 31 points for the Jazz, who shot a season-high 58.6 percent.
The Jazz didn’t score from the field and made just 2-for-8 from the line in a nearly 4-minute stretch in the fourth quarter to give the Lakers the lead with just over 90 seconds to play.
Two three-point plays then rallied the Jazz to an impressive victory.
ROCKETS 94, KINGS 82
In Houston, Yao Ming had 24 points and 18 rebounds as Houston again shone without injured Tracy McGrady, defeating Sacramento.
Rafer Alston dished out a season-high 13 assists for the Rockets, who improved to 12-6 with McGrady out of the lineup this season.
McGrady is nursing a sore left knee.
In other NBA action it was:
• Cavaliers 109, Suns 92
• Hawks 99, Pistons 95
• Raptors 91, Spurs 89
• Bucks 122, Pacers 110
• Trail Blazers 106, Thunder 92
• 76ers 91, Grizzlies 87
• Clippers 128, Knicks 124, OT
• Bobcats 101, Wizards 89
Taiwan’s top women’s badminton doubles duo, Hsieh Pei-shan (謝沛珊) and Hung En-tzu (洪恩慈), achieved a straight-sets victory over Japan’s Kaho Osawa and Mayui Tanabe at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 300 Macau Open on Sunday. The Taiwanese pair won the final 21-18, 21-12, marking the duo’s second title this year after their win at the BWF Super 300 Taipei Open in May. The match on Sunday was their first encounter with the Japanese duo, ranked No. 63 in the world. Hsieh and Hung, ranked No. 12, began the opening game well. Hung, who plays left-handed, performed strongly at both the net and the
Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko upset top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the National Bank Open quarter-finals. “Your support was incredible,” Mboko told the crowd in French after a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole” chants echoed around the venue. “I’m really happy to win today ... It’s incredible. I’m so happy to beat such a great champion.” Gauff dropped to 2-3 since winning the French Open. She followed the major victory with opening losses in Berlin and Wimbledon, then overcame double-fault problems to win two three-set matches in Montreal. Gauff had five double-faults on Saturday after having 23 in
Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen on Thursday said that he is staying with the Red Bull team next year, ending months of speculation over his future. “Some people just like to stir the pot, some people just like to create drama, but, for me, it’s always been quite clear, and also for next year,” the four-time champion said ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. “I’m discussing with the team already the plans — the things that we want to change for next year, so that means that I’m also staying with the team for next year,” he said. Verstappen has a contract with
Alex Michelsen on Thursday rallied for a 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 upset victory over third-seeded Lorenzo Musetti in the men’s singles, converting his seventh match point to reach the fourth round of the Canadian Open. Michelsen reached the last 16 of a Masters 1000 for the first time with his second win over a top-10 player in eight attempts. The 20-year-old American survived nearly 50 unforced errors and converted just two of nine break chances, but it was enough to vanquish Italy’s Musetti, a two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist ranked 10th in the world. “It feels really good,” the 26th-ranked Michelsen said. “I’ve put
RSS