NBA ROUNDUP

NBA ROUNDUP

Friday’s games

Suns 106, Heat 101

MIAMI — Steve Nash scored 11 straight points in the fourth quarter and finished with 30 to go with eight assists, and Phoenix added to Miami’s season-opening misery. Leandro Barbosa finished with 17 points, Raja Bell scored 16 and Shawn Marion added 17 points and 24 rebounds for Phoenix, which shot 15-for-33 from 3-point range. Shaquille O’Neal had season-highs of 25 points and 10 rebounds for Miami, which led by as many as 12 points before falling to 0-5. The Heat had a chance to tie with 9 seconds left, but Ricky Davis’ 3-pointer bounced off the rim. Davis and Jason Williams each had 21 points, Williams added 10 assists, and Udonis Haslem finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Heat.

Spurs 97, Hornets 85

NEW ORLEANS — Tony Parker scored early, often and from all over the court, finishing with 27 points. Tim Duncan had 24 points and 12 rebounds for San Antonio, while Manu Ginobili scored 14 and Fabricio Oberto added 13 points to help the Spurs maintain a double-digit lead through most of the second half. Parker, who also finished with eight assists, scored 11 of San Antonio’s first 21 points. Chris Paul scored 18 to lead New Orleans, which had lost two straight after winning its first four. David West scored 15 points and Tyson Chandler grabbed 11 rebounds.

Celtics 106, Hawks 83

BOSTON — Kevin Garnett had 27 points and 19 rebounds, Paul Pierce scored 23 and Boston got its third blowout win of a season that is the Celtics’ best start in 20 years. Their 4-0 record is their best opening since 1987-88 when they won their first six games, finished with 52 wins and went on to the Eastern Conference finals, the last time the trio of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish got there. Boston’s Ray Allen scored 14 points and Eddie House, came off the bench to score 19, hitting four of five 3-pointers.

Magic 112, Knicks 102

NEW YORK — Dwight Howard had 22 points and 20 rebounds, Jameer Nelson added 24 points and 10 assists, and Orlando completed a perfect four-game road trip. Hedo Turkoglu scored 12 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter for the Magic (5-1), off to their best start since also winning five of their first six in the 2002-03 season. Rashard Lewis also finished with 21.

Nuggets 118, Wizards 92

WASHINGTON — Carmelo Anthony scored 12 consecutive Denver points in a third quarter in which the home team was booed off the court. Anthony finished with 32 points, and Marcus Camby had 13 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists for the Nuggets, who shot 51 percent. Gilbert Arenas, still laboring on a surgically repaired left knee finished with 18 points on 5-for-13 shooting.

Raptors 105, 76ers 103

PHILADELPHIA — Chris Bosh made 16 of 18 free throws, scored 24 points and had 10 rebounds to help Toronto snap a three-game losing streak. Anthony Parker scored 22 points, including a 3-pointer with 33.7 seconds remaining. T.J. Ford had 16 for the Raptors. Andre Iguodala scored 17 of his 26 points in the second half and Lou Williams scored 19 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter for the Sixers.

Bobcats 96, Pacers 87

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Emeka Okafor had 25 points and 23 rebounds, and Gerald Wallace scored 28 points. Okafor’s second career 20-20 game was his best game since he turned down a contract offer from the Bobcats before the start of the season. Raymond Felton added 16 points in his return after missing a game with a sore left knee and the Bobcats overcame 14 missed free throws with a dominant fourth quarter. Jermaine O’Neal had 18 points, Troy Murphy scored 16 points each and Danny Granger added 15 for the Pacers, who were outscored 24-4 in the first 8 minutes of the final period.

Pistons 103, Clippers 79

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Chauncey Billups scored 23 points and Antonio McDyess added 14 to help the Pistons hand Los Angeles its first loss. Billups made five 3-pointers in the second half in a victory that left Boston as the NBA’s lone unbeaten team. Nazr Mohammed came off the bench to score 15 points and Richard Hamilton added 10 and 10 assists. Los Angeles’ Chris Kaman, who entered the game leading the league in rebounding, had 25 points but only seven rebounds — almost nine below his 16.5 average — for the Clippers. Corey Maggette added 19 points.

Rockets 104, Bucks 88

HOUSTON — When it comes to basketball in China, Yao Ming is still the king. But Yi Jianlian’s time could be coming soon. Yao and Yi each had their share of highlights in their anticipated first matchup. Yao had 28 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Yi had 19 points and nine rebounds.

Associated Press