nba roundup | Friday’s games

76ers 95, Pistons 75

PHILADELPHIA — The 76ers added one more surprise victory in a season stuffed with them. The win wasn’t the shocker — it was the way Philadelphia completely thrashed the playoff-tested Detroit Pistons in Game 3 that was the stunner. Andre Miller was spot on with his mid-range jumper and scored 21 points, and the rest of the Sixers ran all over the court in a dominating victory to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round series. Samuel Dalembert had 22 points and 16 rebounds, and the Sixers led by as many as 24 points in their first home playoff game since 2005. The Sixers proved their Game 1 victory was no fluke. Miller had the best all-around game, but he had plenty of help as four others scored double figures, including Dalembert’s double-double. Richard Hamilton scored 23 points and Tayshaun Prince had 18 for the Pistons.

Mavericks 97, Hornets 87

DALLAS — Chris Paul raced down the court, beating most of the Dallas Mavericks. He put on the brakes with a jump stop in the lane and floated up a jumper that was supposed to get the New Orleans Hornets within a few baskets of the lead. The ball went in all right. And then it came out. Things sure were different now that he and the Hornets were on the road — and the Mavs were at home. Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks finally made the Hornets look like playoff novices, pestering Paul and David West to go a combined 6-for-30 well into the fourth quarter on the way to a victory in Game 3 that puts Dallas right back into this series. Nowitzki had 32 points, 19 rebounds and six assists to pull the Mavericks within 2-1.

Associated Press