NBA ROUNDUP | Monday's games
Bobcats 106, Kings 103, OT
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Primoz Brezec scored five of his 26 points in overtime to help Charlotte beat Sacramento on Monday night. The Bobcats built a seven-point lead in overtime, only to see it nearly vanish as they went scoreless the final 2:25. Shareef Abdur-Rahim hit a pair of free throws and made a basket in the final minute to cut it to 106-103. But, after a Charlotte turnover, Mike Bibby's 3-point attempt missed to end the game. The win was costly for the Bobcats, who lost forward Emeka Okafor and guard Kareem Rush to injuries during the game. Okafor left with what appeared to be a seriously sprained right ankle late in the third quarter and Rush played just seven minutes before leaving with a strained left index finger. They were crippling injuries to a team already playing without starting point guard Brevin Knight (arm injury) and forward Melvin Ely (flu). Okafor, Ely and Rush are all expected to miss Tuesday night's game in Chicago. Gerald Wallace finished with 15 points for Charlotte. Raymond Felton, making his second start of the season in place of Knight, returned from an early ankle sprain to contribute 14 points, nine assists and a 19-foot jumper to open the overtime period. Abdur-Rahim finished with 32 points to lead the Kings, who lost their third consecutive game.
Raptors 92, Magic 90
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Morris Peterson scored 19 points, including a clinching 3-pointer with 8 seconds left, as Toronto beat Orlando to snap a three-game losing streak. The Raptors made nine 3-pointers, including one by Mike James that gave them the lead for good. Chris Bosh also scored 19 points for Toronto, which has earned four of its five wins this season on the road. Steve Francis scored 20 points and Jameer Nelson added 14 as the Magic lost for the seventh time in nine games. Francis' layup put the Magic up 86-84 with 1:31 left in the game, but James answered with a 3-pointer. Jalen Rose followed with a 15-footer to give the Raptors an 89-86 lead with 46 seconds to play. Tony Battie, who had 13 points and nine rebounds, made a 20-footer to draw the Magic within 89-88 with 32 seconds left, but Toronto ran the shot clock down before Peterson's 3-pointer from the corner as the clock expired. Francis scored on a driving layup with 1.7 seconds to go for the final margin.
Celtics 109, Warriors 98
BOSTON -- Ricky Davis scored 21 points and added seven assists Monday night, and the Boston Celtics recovered from their worst loss of the season by beating Golden State. Paul Pierce added 19 points and nine rebounds for Boston, which had lost four of its previous five games, including a 32-point loss to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. Marcus Banks scored 16 points in his first start of the season because point guard Delonte West was scratched with dizziness. Troy Murphy had 27 points and 12 rebounds for the Warriors, who have lost five of their last seven. Murphy scored 13 points in the third quarter -- 10 of them in a 20-8 run that turned an 11-point Celtics lead into a one-point advantage for Golden State. But after Derek Fisher sank a 3-pointer to give the Warriors a 77-76 lead with 2:20 left in the third, they never led again. They got close when Murphy dunked and completed a three-point play to make it 93-88, but the Celtics scored 10 of the next 12 points to put away the game. West sustained a mild concussion in the second quarter against Chicago. Third-string point guard Dan Dickau is scheduled to have surgery on Tuesday for a ruptured Achilles' tendon; he is expected to miss the rest of the season.
Pistons 106, Grizzlies 104, 2OT
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Chauncey Billups scored 30 points, including a 15-footer with 0.3 seconds left in the second overtime for Detroit. Billups took the inbounds pass from Tayshaun Prince, dribbled to the left side of the key and hit the shot to send the Pistons to their fourth straight win. The Grizzlies, who lost for the fourth time in five games, had tied the game at 104 when Damon Stoudamire made a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 4.6 seconds left. Stoudamire had nine points in the second overtime. Pau Gasol, who led the Grizzlies with 32 points and 14 rebounds, scored in the final seconds of regulation and the first overtime to force the extra periods. The teams were tied at 87 at the end of regulation after Gasol's basket with 7.7 seconds left pulled Memphis even. Billups' 3-point attempt with a second left hit the front of the rim to send the game into overtime. Prince added 24 points for Detroit, while Richard Hamilton scored 19. Stoudamire finished with 24 points and seven assists. Lorenzen Wright scored 14 points and Eddie Jones had 11. Shane Battier and Mike Miller each scored 10.
Associated Press
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