The Sports Network
Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - San Antonio finally got its "Big Three" back
on the floor, but it was Kawhi Leonard who stole the show on Wednesday.
Leonard buried a go-ahead 3-pointer with 2.9 seconds left off a nice feed from
Tony Parker to lift the San Antonio Spurs to a 96-95 victory over the
Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Leonard finished with 13 points
and 10 rebounds, while Parker poured in a game-high 24 points to go with
seven assists and six rebounds for the Spurs, who head into the All-Star break
on a three-game winning streak. Parker returned after missing Monday's win
with right knee soreness, while Tim Duncan (left knee soreness) played for
the first time in four games and Manu Ginobili (left hamstring) returned from
a five-game absence. Duncan donated 13 points and six rebounds and Ginobili
added five points and six assists off the bench to help San Antonio earn its
14th win in its last 15 games. Dion Waiters led Cleveland with 20 points and
six rebounds, while Tyler Zeller chipped in 16 points and nine boards for
the Cavs, who have lost three straight on the heels of a three-game winning
streak.
Final Score: Indiana 101, Charlotte 77
Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - Paul George led six Indiana players in
double-figures and recorded for his first career triple-double with 23 points,
12 rebounds and 12 assists, as the Pacers pushed past the Charlotte Bobcats,
101-77, on Wednesday. George, who heads into the midseason break for his
first All-Star Game, responded well following a 1-of-10 shooting effort
for just five points in Monday's loss versus Brooklyn. Tyler Hansbrough,
starting in place of an injured David West, added a double-double with 19
points and 10 boards for the Pacers, who bounced back from back-to-back
overtime losses at home following a season-high five-game winning streak. Roy
Hibbert contributed 10 points and eight rebounds and George Hill donated 11
in the victory. West suffered a scratched eye in the Pacers' 89-84 loss to
the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. Byron Mullens paced Charlotte with 19 points
and Bismack Biyombo scored five points, but snagged 16 rebounds for the
Bobcats, who have lost eight of their last nine games despite coming off a
surprising victory over the Boston Celtics on Monday.
Final Score: Atlanta 108, Orlando 76
Orlando, FL (Sports Network) - Josh Smith had 30 points and Al Horford
finished with 26 to pace the Atlanta Hawks in a 108-76 blowout victory over
the Orlando Magic on Wednesday at Amway Center. Both players tallied double-
doubles before sitting out the fourth quarter. Smith grabbed 10 rebounds
and Horford hauled in 12 as the Hawks head into the All-Star break with wins
in seven of their last 11 games. The Magic had finally snapped their season-
worst 12-game losing streak with a win on Sunday over the Trail Blazers,
but completely unraveled against the Hawks from the second quarter on. Jameer
Nelson and Andrew Nicholson were the only Orlando scorers in double-figures,
each posting 10 points in the team's 24th loss in 27 games.
Final Score: Boston 71, Chicago 69
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Kevin Garnett scored eight of his 12 points in
the fourth quarter to help lead a late Boston rally that lifted the Celtics to
a 71-69 decision over the Chicago Bulls in a defensively dominated matchup
from TD Garden. Garnett added 11 rebounds and Brandon Bass finished with a
game-high 14 points for the Celtics, who outscored Chicago by a 30-20
margin over the final 13 minutes to improve to 8-1 since All-Star point guard
Rajon Rondo tore his ACL on Jan. 25. Marco Belinelli paced the Bulls with 12
points and both Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer posted double-doubles in the
loss, Chicago's second straight and fourth in five outings. Noah amassed 10
points and 16 rebounds, with Boozer compiling 11 points and 11 boards. Chicago
shot just 36.5 percent from the floor and went 3-of-17 from three-point
range, with Boston hitting on only 36.8 percent of its field goal
attempts in a game in which scoring was at a premium.
Final Score: Brooklyn 119, Denver 108
Brooklyn, NY (Sports Network) - Three Nets players scored 20-plus points as
Brooklyn defeated the Denver Nuggets, 119-108, on Wednesday. Joe Johnson
recorded 26 points and nine assists, C.J. Watson scored 25 points and Brook
Lopez had 23 points and eight rebounds for the Nets, who came into the game
off an overtime win against the Pacers. Kris Humphries scored 14 points off
the bench. Ty Lawson had 26 points for the Nuggets, who have lost three
straight games. Jordan Hamilton and JaVale McGee scored 15 and 14 points,
respectively, from the bench. Andrew Miller registered eight points and 10
assists.
Final Score: Detroit 96, Washington 85
Auburn Hills, MI (Sports Network) - Greg Monroe had 16 points and 18 rebounds
in the Detroit Pistons' 96-85 win over the Washington Wizards. Jose Calderson
netted 24 points and Will Bynum added 20 points and eight assists for
the Pistons, who have won three of their last four tilts on the heels of a
three-game skid. Emeka Okafor tallied 20 points and nine rebounds to lead
Washington, which had its four-game winning streak snapped.
Final Score: Toronto 92, New York 88
New York, NY (Sports Network) - Alan Anderson came off the bench and erupted
for 26 points, and the Toronto Raptors shut down Carmelo Anthony and the New
York Knicks in a 92-88 victory at Madison Square Garden. DeMar DeRozan added
20 points for the Raptors, who head into the All-Star break riding a
four-game win streak despite Rudy Gay being limited to 11 points on 4-
of-21 shooting. Anthony also struggled offensively, hitting just 5-of-24
from the field in a 12-point, 12-rebound effort for the Atlantic Division-
leading Knicks, who have dropped three of their last four. J.R. Smith netted
26 points and Raymond Felton had 16 in defeat.
Final Score: Milwaukee 94, Philadelphia 92
Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Monta Ellis scored a game-high 27 points to
lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 94-92 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on
Wednesday at Bradley Center. Brandon Jennings followed with 21 points, while
former Sixer Samuel Dalembert posted a double-double with 17 points and 14
rebounds to help the Bucks snap a four-game slide. Evan Turner led the
Sixers with 20 points and Spencer Hawes added 19 points and nine boards for
Philadelphia, which has lost two straight and three of its last four heading
into the All-Star break. Jrue Holiday, who was named to his first career
All-Star game earlier this year, finished with 16 points and 12 assists in the
setback.
Final Score: Utah 97, Minnesota 93
Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Paul Millsap scored 21 points and grabbed
eight rebounds and Al Jefferson had a double-double with 20 points and 11
boards as the Utah Jazz held off a furious late rally to take down the
Minnesota Timberwolves, 97-93, on Wednesday. DeMarre Carroll added 11 points
and Enes Kanter donated 10, while both players shot an identical 5-of-9 from
the floor for the Jazz, who won their second straight and avoided a fourth
consecutive road loss. Ricky Rubio was one rebound away from a triple-
double with 18 points, nine boards and 10 assists for the Timberwolves, who
were coming off their first road victory since Jan. 3 on Monday at Cleveland,
en route to snapping a four-game losing streak. Derrick Williams had a monster
night with 24 points and 16 rebounds and Nikola Pekovic had 19 points with 13
boards. The already injury-ravaged Wolves were once again without Andrei
Kirilenko, who missed his fifth straight with a strained right quadriceps.
Final Score: New Orleans 99, Portland 63
New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Anthony Davis scored a game-high 21 points
and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead the New Orleans Hornets to a 99-63 rout of
the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday. Ryan Anderson added 14 points and
seven rebounds and Jason Smith dropped in 13 points for the Hornets, winners
in four of their last five tilts. Greivis Vasquez added 10 points, eight
assists and five rebounds in the win. Damian Lillard scored 12 points, Victor
Claver chipped in 11 and J.J. Hickson scored 10 for the Trail Blazers, who
have dropped five straight. Portland's Wesley Matthews left early in the
first quarter after injuring his left ankle. Matthews hurt himself after
colliding with the Hornets' Austin Rivers, landing awkwardly on his left leg
before being helped off the court.
Final Score: Dallas 123, Sacramento 100
Dallas, TX (Sports Network) - Vince Carter led the way with 26 points as the
Dallas Mavericks continued their home dominance over the Sacramento Kings with
a 123-100 rout on Wednesday at American Airlines Center. Carter erupted for
17 points in the third, where he sank 5-of-7 from 3-point range to help
Dallas pull away for its 18th straight regular-season home victory over
Sacramento. Darren Collison added 18 points and Dirk Nowitzki followed
with 17 in the third win in four games for the Mavericks, who still have a
lot of work to do to avoid missing the postseason for the first time since the
1999-00 campaign. Tyreke Evans scored 23 for the Kings, who have dropped
consecutive games on the heels of a two-game winning streak. DeMarcus Cousins
totaled 17 points and 13 boards in defeat.
The Sports Network