NBA scores: Nets outlast Pacers, shorthanded Spurs beat Bulls
Brooklyn won a sloppy one in overtime in Indiana, San Antonio continued their hot play regardless of the lineup, and Charlotte’s seven-game losing streak and Boston’s seven-game win streak both ended in the same game.
The Pacers played their game and kept the score low in an offensive muckfest, holding the Nets without Deron Williams to just 76 points in regulation, but the offense wasn't there for Indiana either: Paul George had just five points on ten shots, and David West had only seven on 11 shots after being poked in the eye early in the game. The Nets were down four with about a minute and a half left, but fought back to tie the game - David West missed a shot as the buzzer sounded - and started out OT on a 9-3 run and held on for the win. Joe Johnson had 25, but little-used Tyshawn Taylor deserves credit for 12 points in 34 minutes, both career highs - he had only played over ten minutes twice before. After a five-game win streak, the Pacers have now lost two straight in overtime.
No Tim Duncan, no Manu Ginobili, no Tony Parker, no Stephen Jackson, no problem for the Spurs. The undermanned Spurs went into Chicago and got out to a comfortable 14-point lead in the third quarter, only to see Chicago rally back to within one. But soon, the Spurs scored seven straight, and by the end of the game, the lead was back to 14. Chicago brutalized San Antonio on the boards - the Spurs only had two offensive rebounds compared to 19 for Chicago, who had a 49-26 advantage on the glass - but San Antonio was 8-for-16 from beyond the arc and forced 19 turnovers. Kawhi Leonard led all scorers with a career-high 26 points, while Nate Robinson continued his strong play for Chicago with 20. is now 4-1 in a games without Duncan and Ginobili, both of whom have been sporadically out since early February - Ginobili with a hamstring issue, Duncan with a sore knee - part of a stint in which the Spurs are 13-1.
The Celtics had won all seven games since Rajon Rondo's injury, while the Bobcats were coming in on a seven-game losing streak, so of course Byron Mullens had 28 points and 17 rebounds in a tight Charlotte win. The seven-footer drilled four of five threes, and the Bobcats rallied back from down 12 in the third quarter and down four with a minute to play. The 28 points was the second best outing of Mullens' career, while 18 rebounds was a career high. The center barely played in his first two years with Oklahoma City, but has turned into a decent player in Charlotte, who had his second 20-point, 10-rebound outing in three games shortly after he had missed 19 with injury. Worrisome for Boston is an injury to Leandro Barbosa, who went down with an ugly-looking knee injury, something that could stretch their already tenuous point guard depth.
An open-court steal by former Maverick Devin Harris allowed Atlanta to hold off Dallas: up one with half a minute left, Harris caught up to a streaking OJ Mayo after a strip by Elton Brand to save a lead, then saved the ball from going out of bounds, allowing the Hawks to finish with free throws. Josh Smith had 26 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists for the Hawks, hitting four-of-five threes despite being a career 28 percent shooter from deep.
Timberwolves, 100, Cavs, 92
Minnesota shot 75 percent from the field in the final quarter, with Luke Ridnour scoring 13 of his 21 points, to turn a one-point lead into a comfortable eight-point win. Ricky Rubio and Nikola Pekovic had double-doubles to help in a win for the banged-up Wolves.
Two straight wins for the Clips with the whole squad finally healthy. This one wasn’t as close as the 17-point margin of victory indicates, as Philadelphia outscored Los Angeles 31-19 in the fourth quarter.
The Pistons started out on an 8-0 run, but Ryan Anderson hit five threes off the bench to finish with 31 and the lowly Hornets got a convincing win in their Mardi Gras uniforms. Robin Lopez had 23 points and 10 rebounds, while Greivis Vazquez had 10 assists.
The Wizards shot 56.8 percent from the floor, with Bradley Beal putting up 28 points on four-of-five shooting from deep. Shoddy shooting from the Bucks didn't help, with Brandon Jennings finishing with just seven points on 17 shots.
