NBA ROUNDUP | Friday’s games

Suns 122, Wizards 107

WASHINGTON — Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns let the Washington Wizards hang around for a half. Then the Suns’ “awesome” offense got in gear. Nash delivered a season-high 19 assists, Amare Stoudemire scored 27 points, and Raja Bell had 14 of his 22 points during a game-deciding third quarter as the Suns won their fifth straight. The Suns led only 60-55 at halftime, before breaking the game open.

76ers 101, Knicks 90

PHILADELPHIA — Samuel Dalembert scored 20 points, Lou Williams and Andre Iguodala each scored 15 and the Philadelphia 76ers snapped a three-game losing streak. Jamal Crawford scored New York’s first 16 points in the fourth and finished with 28 points. David Lee had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Stephon Marbury returned to the lineup a day after attending the funeral of his father, Donald, who died Sunday night. Marbury briefly considered skipping the game, but said he realized the only way to truly honor his father’s memory was to play. The grief-stricken Marbury scored only two points in the first half and spent the entire second half on the bench.

Pacers 115, Magic 109

ORLANDO, Fla. — Danny Granger scored a season-high 27 points and Jamaal Tinsley had 20 points and 10 assists to lift the Pacers. Seven players scored in double figures for the Pacers, who rallied from a 15-point third-quarter deficit. Jermaine O’Neal had 15 points and Marquis Daniels 13 off the bench. Dwight Howard led Orlando with 30 points and 15 rebounds. Rashard Lewis added 24 points and Keith Bogans had 14, but the Magic hit only 13 of 39 shots (33.3 percent) in the second half, giving Indiana ample room for a rally.

Rockets 96, Nets 89

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Yao Ming had 25 points and 11 rebounds, Tracy McGrady added 24 points, and the Houston Rockets never trailed. Jason Kidd returned to the Nets’ lineup after a one-game absence, but his game didn’t until it was too late. He finished with 10 points — eight in the fourth quarter — seven rebounds and seven assists. Rafer Alston scored 15 points and Shane Battier had 12 for the Rockets, who won for the fifth straight time in New Jersey. The Rockets have won two in a row overall and five of seven following a six-game skid. Vince Carter matched his season high with 32 points, winning his scoring duel with cousin McGrady. Richard Jefferson finished with 29, but the Nets fell to a dismal 4-8 at home.

Celtics 112, Raptors 84

BOSTON — Kevin Garnett scored 23 points and the Boston Celtics improved to 10-0 at home. Paul Pierce had 18 points and Ray Allen 13 for Boston (16-2), which is off to the NBA’s best start and its best home mark since opening the 1984-85 season 12-0. The Celtics broke it open early. Boston has won all but one of its home games by double digits so far — eight by 20 points or more. None of the Celtics’ starters played the final quarter or saw 30 minutes of action. Anthony Parker led the injury-riddled Raptors with 13 points. T.J. Ford, Joey Graham and Juan Dixon had 12 apiece.

Bulls 98, Pistons 91

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Andres Nocioni scored 22 points and Ben Wallace added 13 rebounds and 10 points to lead the Bulls. The Bulls won despite Chauncey Billups’ 15 fourth-quarter points. Chicago has won four of its last five, and ended Detroit’s winning streak at five games. Luol Deng had 17 points and Joe Smith added 14 rebounds. Richard Hamilton scored 24 for Detroit, but only had two in the final period. Rasheed Wallace added 18.

Hornets beat Grizzlies in OT, 118-116

Hornets 118, Grizzlies 116, OT

NEW ORLEANS — Chris Paul hit a driving layup through a crowd of defenders with 1.8 seconds left in overtime, capping a game of career highs and lifting the Hornets. Paul hit five 3-pointers on his way to 43 points, both career highs, to go with nine assists and four steals. He also made a pair of crucial free throws that tied the game at 107 with 33.1 seconds left, a score that held until overtime, when New Orleans never seems to lose anymore. The Hornets won their 12th straight overtime game, a streak going back to the 2005-06 season. It was also their third overtime victory this season, the second against the Grizzlies.

Associated Press