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Kings fire Westphal, bring in Smart as new coach

Kings fire Westphal, bring in Smart as new coach

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP and Staff) — The Sacramento Kings fired coach Paul Westphal on Thursday, cutting ties after two-plus seasons amid a slow start and an escalating dispute with young center DeMarcus Cousins. Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie made the announcement ahead of the team’s home game against Milwaukee on Thursday night. Assistant Keith Smart, let go by the Golden State Warriors this summer after one season, signed a deal to become the team’s head coach — with Westphal’s blessing. Looking to build momentum for a new arena project, Sacramento stumbled at the start again this year. A talented and athletic — albeit raw — roster led by Westphal is 2-5 and in last place in the Pacific Division. “I want to thank Paul for all of his effort on behalf of the Kings,” Petrie said. “Unfortunately, the overall performance level of the team has not approached what we felt was reasonable to expect. I wish him the best in his future endeavors.” In two-plus seasons leading the Kings, Westphal finished with a 51-120 record. The 61-year-old previously coached the Phoenix Suns and Seattle SuperSonics. “I would like to thank the Maloof family for the incredible opportunity they gave me to participate in the attempt to bring the Sacramento Kings back to prominence,” Westphal said. “While the job is far from finished, I am proud of the strides we were able to make. “Finally, I want to thank my loyal staff and players for their efforts in attempting to climb out of the hole we shared. Nothing comes easy in the NBA and I know they will not rest in their efforts to rebuild this team.” In the last week, all of Westphal’s efforts in California’s capital shattered. He abruptly released a statement Sunday criticizing Cousins’ commitment to the franchise and excused him from the team’s game against New Orleans. He also said Cousins asked for a trade, which the center’s agent refuted. Cousins had played in the past two games, losing at Memphis and Denver on consecutive nights. Sacramento drafted Cousins with the fifth overall pick in 2010 after he spent one season at Kentucky. The 21-year-old was averaging 13.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in 26 minutes per game this season. Cousins’ behavior has been well documented going back to high school and his one season at Kentucky, mixing in dramatic and astonishing plays with [...]

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Paul, Griffin help Clippers rout Rockets 117-89

Paul, Griffin help Clippers rout Rockets 117-89

LOS ANGELES (AP & Staff) — Blake Griffin had 22 points and nine rebounds before sitting out most of the fourth quarter, Chris Paul added 20 points and 10 assists, and the Los Angeles Clippers cruised to a 117-89 victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night. Paul shot 9 for 14 and had three steals, extending his streak to 14 consecutive games with at least one. Reserve guard Randy Foye locked it up by scoring 14 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter. And center DeAndre Jordan had eight rebounds and seven points in 28 minutes, while failing to block an opponents’ shot for the first time in his last 19 games. Chauncey Billups returned to the lineup, playing his first home game with the Clippers after sitting out two games because of a sore groin. He scored 13 points in 22 minutes. The five-time All-Star, claimed from the New York Knicks in a waiver auction Dec. 12, averaged 16 points in his first two games with the club. Kyle Lowry had 17 points and five assists for the Rockets, who won 25 of their previous 31 games against the Clippers and held them under 100 points in 14 of the previous 15 meetings. Houston’s two best defensive efforts last season — in terms of lowest field goal percentage by an opponent — were against the Clippers. Los Angeles shot 36.4 percent in a 96-83 loss, and 34.7 percent in a 99-78 defeat. The Rockets played without reserve swingman Courtney Lee, who injured his right calf Tuesday night on a non-contact play in the fourth quarter of a 108-99 loss to the Lakers. Paul, who averaged 20.6 points and 10.0 assists in his previous 16 games against Houston while playing for the New Orleans Hornets, had 11 points and six assists in the first quarter to help the Clippers build a 67-55 halftime lead. Los Angeles ended the half shooting 67.5 percent while committing four of its seven turnovers. Reserve guard Ryan Gomes beat the first-quarter buzzer with a 17-footer from the left baseline for a 41-26 margin. The Rockets narrowed the gap to 47-40 on Lowry’s 3-pointer with 7:38 left in the second quarter, but got no closer the rest of the game as the Clippers pulled away in the third. Griffin, who went to the bench for good with 10:17 remaining, finished with 16 points in [...]

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Without Wade, Heat rout Pacers 118-83 behind James

Without Wade, Heat rout Pacers 118-83 behind James

MIAMI (AP & Staff) — LeBron James had 33 points and 13 assists, Chris Bosh added 22 points and the Miami Heat hardly missed Dwyane Wade in a 118-83 rout of the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night. James also grabbed eight rebounds and the Heat turned up the defensive intensity without their star guard. Wade sat out with a sore left foot, and his status for Thursday’s game at Atlanta is uncertain. Roy Hibbert had 16 points and 12 rebounds to lead Indiana. Tyler Hansbrough scored 14. Wade, a six-time All-Star, injured his foot in the second quarter at Charlotte on Dec. 28. He missed the first 10 minutes of the third period but played regular minutes the rest of the game and in the two that followed. He skipped Wednesday’s shootaround, though. The Heat had a scare late in the third quarter when James went down underneath the basket with an apparent left ankle injury. James appeared to step on the foot of Indiana’s Paul George while attempting a fast-break layup. But after staying on the court for a few seconds James got to his feet, prompting applause from the sellout crowd, and resumed breaking down the Pacers. Indiana, a fashionable pick to be one of the surprise teams in the East, had a miserable second quarter, going 1 for 15 from the field and committing 10 turnovers that Miami turned into 10 points. Miami took a 62-39 halftime lead thanks to a 25-6 run to close the second quarter. Indiana’s main problem, however, was that it couldn’t slow Miami’s transition offense. And because the Pacers shot so poorly and committed so many turnovers, all the Heat had to do was grab the ball and start running, and they did it quite successfully. The Pacers trailed 29-27 after the first quarter. But in the second half, they never got closer than 12 points and the lead eventually ballooned to 36. Indiana’s Danny Granger scored only six points on 2-for-13 shooting. He missed six of his seven shots in the first half and committed three turnovers. The Pacers ended up shooting 34.8 percent from the field. They committed 23 turnovers that Miami turned into 28 points. This was Indiana’s biggest test of the season after beating Detroit, Toronto, Cleveland and New Jersey. Notes: Indiana guard Lance Stephenson sprained his left ankle in the second quarter and didn’t return. … Granger [...]

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Spurs’ Ginobili to undergo surgery on broken hand

Spurs’ Ginobili to undergo surgery on broken hand

SAN ANTONIO (AP & Staff) — Spurs guard Manu Ginobili will have surgery on his broken left hand and is expected to be out at least two months after his latest injury. Ginobili tweeted Wednesday that he’ll have a plate screwed onto his shooting hand Thursday. He broke his fifth metacarpal, below his pinkie, during the second quarter of a loss at Minnesota on Monday night. “Not thrilled,” Ginobili tweeted. Ginobili was averaging 17.4 points a game, and San Antonio won’t easily make up for losing its leading scorer who has overtaken Tim Duncan as the emotional and offensive centerpiece of the four-time champion Spurs. Last season, after the 34-year-old sprained his elbow on the eve of the playoffs, Ginobili struggled through the first round wearing a bulky sleeve as Memphis upset the 61-win Spurs. Three years ago, Ginobili missed the postseason entirely with a bad ankle. Although San Antonio’s supporting cast this season is among the youngest of the Duncan era, the fate and fortunes of the Spurs still squarely rest with Ginobili, Tony Parker and Duncan, who will turn 36 in April and might be playing his final season. Ginobili injured his hand in the season’s fifth game when he fouled Anthony Tolliver as he jumped to shoot the ball. “Six to eight weeks is the most common things that’s been thrown around, so I assume that’s what it is unless the docs figure out differently tomorrow,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. The Spurs host Golden State on Wednesday night. Ginobili’s injury is forcing the Spurs to put backup Gary Neal in uniform ahead of schedule after the second-year shooting guard had his appendix removed during training camp. Popovich said Neal would have certainly first played a few D-League games otherwise, but that’s a luxury the Spurs can no longer afford. “We figured we might as well go ahead and throw him in to the fire,” Popovich said.

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Jefferson scores 26 in Jazz’s 85-73 win over Bucks

Jefferson scores 26 in Jazz’s 85-73 win over Bucks

SALT LAKE CITY (AP & Staff) When Utah’s Al Jefferson was told Andrew Bogut was a surprise scratch from the Milwaukee Bucks’ lineup on Tuesday, he replied with just two words: “Thank God!” Jefferson has often struggled against the Australian center, but took advantage of Bogut’s absence with 26 points and 10 rebounds in the Jazz’s 85-73 victory over the Bucks. “I looked at it like I had a good opportunity to get going. I wanted to be more active,” Jefferson said. After shooting 2 for 16 in the season opener, Jefferson has steadily improved to again take his place as the centerpiece of Utah’s offense. “I’ve been a scorer all my life. That’s why I didn’t panic after that first game,” he said. “My teammates have kept their trust in me and kept getting the ball into me.” Paul Millsap had 13 points and 12 rebounds and Gordon Hayward added 12 points for the Jazz. Hayward scored five points on back-to-back possessions and Millsap added a jumper on the next offensive set to clinch the game with 1:07 to play. “They gambled a little bit and overextended themselves and I was able to take advantage of it,” Hayward said. Drew Gooden had 24 points and 12 rebounds for the Bucks but didn’t have the inside presence of Bogut as the Jazz had plenty of point-blank looks at the basket. Bogut missed the game due to personal matters and Mike Dunleavy was out with groin pain. “It’s tough,” Gooden said. “We can’t win scoring 70-80 points.” The Bucks also won’t win many games unless they shoot better. Led by Brandon Jennings’ 4-for-19 performance, the Bucks were just 31 percent and had 10 shots blocked by the Jazz, including a career-best five by Derrick Favors. “Derrick was superman out there with his five blocks. He did a great job converging on shots inside,” Utah coach Ty Corbin said. The game marked the third back-to-back set of the compressed season for the Jazz. They lost the back end of the other two, but were playing at home on consecutive nights for the first time since 2008 and improved to 3-0 in Energy Solutions Arena. “When we bring the energy and the crowd gets behind us, it’s just kind of a snowball effect and we’re able to create a run,” Hayward said. The Jazz experienced injury problems of their own with Josh Howard [...]

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Deng’s layup with 3.7 left leads Bulls past Hawks

Deng’s layup with 3.7 left leads Bulls past Hawks

CHICAGO (AP & Staff) With Derrick Rose having a big fourth quarter for the Chicago Bulls, everyone expected the reigning NBA MVP to take the final shot with the score tied. Instead, it was Luol Deng who got the game-winner in the closing seconds. Deng’s layup with 3.7 seconds left lifted the Bulls to a 76-74 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night. Rose scored 17 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter to rally the Bulls from a 19-point deficit. Coming out of a timeout, Deng cut along the baseline and took a feed from Joakim Noah to put Chicago ahead. “At the end of practice, we always run (the play),” Deng said. “(Joakim) made a great pass. We had a feeling both of (the defenders) would go with Derrick.” Turns out the play was designed for Rose after all. “Obviously, we’re trying to get it to Derrick,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. “They did a good job taking the first and second option away. Derrick set a great screen, (Noah) made a great pass and Luol made a great cut.” The play caught the Hawks off guard as they were anticipating Rose to get the last shot. “We all assumed that the ball was coming back to Rose,” Atlanta’s Al Horford said. “We were going to come and trap. That was a great play by their coach designed to take the pressure from Rose and hit Deng on the back. We didn’t expect that at all.” Joe Johnson shot an airball at the buzzer, giving the Bulls the win. Deng finished with 21 points for the Bulls and scored eight over the last four minutes after Atlanta re-established a lead. “You can’t say enough about Luol,” Thibodeau said. “He does everything.” Rose missed a runner with 21 seconds left, but Atlanta’s Jeff Teague missed two free throws. Rose then drove past Teague and scored over the Hawks’ Josh Smith with 9.9 seconds left to put the Bulls up 74-73. Horford, who led the Hawks with 16 points, was fouled when Deng ran into him near the top of the key. Horford split two free throws with 7.7 seconds remaining, tying the score and setting up Deng’s heroics. “We stopped defending with the intensity that we did in the first three quarters,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said. “We didn’t make our free throws going down the stretch. [...]

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Irving, Thompson lead Cavaliers past Bobcats

Irving, Thompson lead Cavaliers past Bobcats

CLEVELAND (AP & Staff) The future of the Cleveland Cavaliers looked good in the present on Tuesday night. Rookies Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson, selected No. 1 and No. 4 respectively in last year’s draft, led Cleveland to a 115-101 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday night. Irving tied a season high with 20 points and had six assists with no turnovers, and Thompson had season highs with 16 points and nine rebounds. “Kyrie makes everyone around him better,” Cavaliers coach Byron Scott said. “He gets more and more comfortable with each game. Tristan’s in that same boat. He’s starting to really understand his role and what he can do in this league.” Veteran Antawn Jamison had 19 points as Cleveland moved over .500 for he first time since Nov. 9, 2010, when it was 4-3. The Cavaliers are using Irving and Thompson as centerpieces in their rebuilding effort from last season’s team that finished 19-67. Irving has started at point guard in all five games while Thompson, a power forward, is one of the first players off the bench. D.J. Augustin scored a season-high 26 points for the Bobcats, who have lost four straight since opening the season with a 96-95 home win over Milwaukee on Dec. 26. Charlotte coach Paul Silas was whistled for a technical foul for arguing with an official in the fourth quarter with the Bobcats trailing 108-91. Silas was also displeased with his team’s effort, particularly on the defensive end. “It’s just not gonna work if we don’t play hard all the time,” he said. “We’re not talented enough to not play hard all the time. You can’t just give it away (points on penetration) and let it happen.” Cleveland continued its strong 3-point shooting, making 10 of 21 from behind the arc. The Cavaliers made 16 of 26 attempts from 3-point range Sunday, falling one short of the team record in a 98-82 home win over New Jersey. Back-to-back 3s by Daniel Gibson gave the Cavaliers a 103-86 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Cleveland’s rookies also brought the crowd to its feet with blocked shots in the second half. Irving chased down Augustin’s breakaway layup attempt in the third quarter, swatting the ball off the backboard with his left hand. “It was just a normal basketball play,” Irving said. “I just wanted to contest it the best I can.” Thompson also [...]

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Kobe scores 37, Lakers hold off Rockets 108-99

Kobe scores 37, Lakers hold off Rockets 108-99

LOS ANGELES (AP & Staff) Andrew Bynum is acutely aware how many Lakers fans spent the offseason coveting Dwight Howard. Judging by his first three games of the season, Bynum seems determined to prove to every basketball fan in Los Angeles that this team already has a star center. Kobe Bryant scored 37 points, Bynum had 21 points and 22 rebounds in the first 20-20 game of his career, and the Lakers beat the Houston Rockets 108-99 Tuesday night for their fourth victory in five games. With healthy knees and plenty of energy after a four-game season-opening suspension, Bynum gave yet another dominant low-post performance. He barely missed his career-high of 23 rebounds in his second career 20-rebound game, playing a team-high 38 minutes. “I think I’m getting a lot more touches, so it’s easier to be confident,” said Bynum, who’s averaging 22.7 points and 17 rebounds in his first three games. “Before the practices every day, I’m putting in work, so it’s paying off.” Although Bynum has been increasingly outstanding when healthy in the past two years, he turned up in multiple trade rumors during the offseason, most surrounding Orlando’s All-Star center. After several years of trade speculation, Bynum insists he’s immune to it – and it’s reflected in his current play. “We all know the amount of talent he has, and he’s really worked on it,” Bryant said of Bynum. “The thing that I like about him is that he has an engine inside of him, and he wants to dominate. He has ambition to be great.” The Lakers also got 14 points from fellow 7-footer Pau Gasol, who was nearly traded to the Rockets last month in a three-team deal for Chris Paul. Bynum and Gasol patrolled the paint on defense and repeatedly beat Houston inside, combining for 17 points in the second half. “It’s not just tonight, but the way he’s played these three games,” Gasol said of Bynum. “He’s been really aggressive, really decisive, and just pursuing every ball. I’m glad to see him with this level of intensity and energy, because it takes desire and will.” What’s the best part about Bynum’s dominance to Lakers coach Mike Brown? The big guy still isn’t in game shape. “He’s still working on his conditioning,” Brown said. “His conditioning is getting a little better. If he can get it to a point where it’s great, oh my [...]

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Mavs, NBA differ on who set up White House trip

Mavs, NBA differ on who set up White House trip

    NEW YORK (AP and Staff) — The Mavericks are getting their White House trip, though Mark Cuban and the NBA disagree on how it was arranged. And Cuban insists the league still messed up by not giving the champions a game in Washington. He reiterated Tuesday that scheduling a Mavericks game in Washington should have been more of a priority, given the compressed schedule and how few off days would be available for the traditional trip to meet the president. Regardless, the Mavs are heading to Washington next week, which the NBA says it helped coordinate once it learned President Barack Obama would be available. Cuban, however, says in an email that the team “took the lead” and included the league in its plans.

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Allen heats up in 4th to lead Celtics over Wizards

Allen heats up in 4th to lead Celtics over Wizards

BOSTON (AP & Staff) It was vintage Ray Allen. The ball swings from one side of the floor to the other and the NBA’s all-time 3-point king comes around a pick or two before stepping up and nailing a jumper. Allen went 3 for 3 from long range in the final quarter, scoring 11 of his 27 points in the fourth, and the Boston Celtics won for the second straight night over Washington, beating the winless Wizards 100-92 on Monday night. “Ray made the big shots for us tonight,” point guard Rajon Rondo said. “It was a team effort, but when we needed a bucket the ball seemed to find Ray.” The 36-year old Allen, the oldest player on the floor who prides himself on conditioning, looked like the one with the freshest legs when the game was on the line. “Yeah, Marathon Man,” joked Boston coach Doc Rivers. “He was great. He just kept going. I would never want to guard that guy. You can’t imagine how many miles Nick Young had to go chasing him.” Rondo downplayed the amount of energy Allen showed. “Ray runs every day,” he said. “He’ll probably run tomorrow. It’s not a shock when he does what he did.” Paul Pierce had 21 points and eight rebounds for the Celtics (3-3), who pulled to .500 after losing their first three games of the season. Rookie Greg Stiemsma, making his first start, had 13 points and seven rebounds, and reserve Brandon Bass scored 12. But it was Allen that carried the veteran Celtics during the game’s key minutes. “You look at the shots during that stretch; every time somebody made the tough extra pass,” Allen said, crediting his teammates. “It’s tough to guard that second and third pass.” Andray Blatche led Wizards (0-5) with 28 points and nine rebounds, JaVale McGee had 17 points and 14 boards, and John Wall had 11 points. Head coach Flip Saunders didn’t see much of the game from the bench after he was ejected 1:46 into the contest. Allen was 6 for 7 from beyond the 3-point line. Boston beat the Wizards 94-86 in Washington on Sunday. Allen’s fourth 3-pointer of the game, coming with 8:56 to play, pushed Boston ahead for good, 75-74. Bass then hit a foul-line jumper and, after a basket by the Wizards’ Nick Young, Rajon Rondo found Marquis Daniels cutting backdoor for a layup. [...]

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Nash scores 21 in Phoenix’s win over Warriors

Nash scores 21 in Phoenix’s win over Warriors

PHOENIX (AP & Staff) Steve Nash is slowly playing his way into shape. Nash scored 13 of his game-high 21 points in the fourth quarter and rookie Markieff Morris added 16 points, helping the Suns beat the Golden State Warriors 102-91 on Monday. “It’s going to be tough,” Nash said. “I haven’t played basketball in a long, long time and then to have only two weeks of camp. Today would normally have preseason game number seven. It’s going to take some time.” Jared Dudley had 15 points, and Channing Frye and Shannon Brown added 10 each for the Suns, who have won two of three overall and six straight against the Warriors. Phoenix has not lost to Golden State at home since March 8, 2005, a 13-game stretch. “We just kind of grinded it out,” Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. “We’re not shooting the ball the way we’re capable of shooting it but we shot a lot better today.” Monta Ellis had 18 points, Dominic McGuire scored 14 and Brandon Rush finished with 13 points for the Warriors, who lost their first road game after opening the season with four in a row at home. “You shoot 50 percent on the road, you should come out ahead with a win,” said Warriors coach Mark Jackson. “You put teams on the foul line, turn the basketball over and give up 16 offensive rebounds, it’s a recipe for disaster. “I understand this is a process but this is a 66-game season and we need to speed up the process,” Jackson said. “I will find guys that are playing well, competing and executing the game plan and if that means playing five guys 48 minutes, I will.” Golden State was without second-leading scorer and top rebounder David Lee, who was a late scratch after being hospitalized earlier Monday with an undetermined illness. Lee was receiving intravenous fluids at the hospital as doctors worked to determine if he had food poisoning, the flu or another virus. The Warriors started the second half on an 8-0 run to take a 55-51 lead with 9:10 left in the third quarter, aided by the Suns’ 0-for-5 shooting and two turnovers. But then the Suns started to click, connecting on eight of their next 12 field-goal attempts and opening a 70-61 lead with 3:21 left in the quarter. Morris helped serve as the catalyst, scoring on a layup [...]

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George scores 21, Pacers beat skidding Nets

George scores 21, Pacers beat skidding Nets

NEWARK, N.J. (AP & Staff) The Indiana Pacers finally found their shooting touch, and all it took was a little extra film work and a game against the skidding New Jersey Nets. Paul George scored 21 points and the Pacers shot a season-high 52.6 percent in posting a 108-94 victory over the woeful Nets on Monday night. “We had a film session this morning and I pointed out that we needed to move the ball around,” Indiana coach Frank Vogel said. “I knew the guys got the message because all I heard was `Yup, yup, yup.’ I told them that we’re next to unbeatable when we share the ball, night in and night out. We shot well because we were sharing the ball. When you share the basketball and play for each other instead of yourself, you can be a pretty good team. That’s what we preached today.” Indiana had not shot 40 percent in its first four games. But the Pacers broke out of the slump against New Jersey, putting five players in double figures. They were outstanding from long range, hitting 13 of 21, or roughly 62 percent. “In the NBA, it’s funny how the ball can find its way in there,” Vogel said. “I think the number is a little misleading because we made shots when the game was out of reach. But there are times when you simply can’t buy one, then others when it finds a way to go in.” George was 8 of 10 from the field and hit all five of his 3-pointers. He scored 17 points in the second half, including nine in the fourth quarter when the game was decided. “We were getting better looks and that led to better shots,” George said. “We emphasized sharing the ball and it got easy because of that. We all bought into sharing the ball and looking for the open man. We turned good shots into great shots. We have a lot of good shooters on this team and if we can shoot the ball that way, we’re going to be a very good team.” Danny Granger added 15 points and David West scored 13 as the Pacers won for the fourth time in five games and sent the Nets to their fifth straight loss. “It’s a great start and when we get down to playing a lot of back-to-back games, winning like this [...]

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Timberwolves beat Spurs for 2nd straight win

Timberwolves beat Spurs for 2nd straight win

MINNEAPOLIS (AP & Staff) Rick Adelman was wondering how his young Minnesota Timberwolves would handle their first taste of prosperity. He couldn’t have been much happier after watching them thump the San Antonio Spurs, who now find themselves knee deep in adversity with the loss of star guard Manu Ginobili. Kevin Love had 24 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Timberwolves to their second win in a row, 106-96 Monday night over the Spurs, who lost Ginobili to a broken left hand. Luke Ridnour had 19 points and nine assists and Wes Johnson broke out of a shooting slump with 14 points and 6-for-6 shooting for the Timberwolves, who snapped an 18-game losing streak with a win over Dallas on Sunday. “You’re not satisfied with last night, you build off of it,” said Adelman, whose Wolves scored 65 points in the first half on the second night of a back-to-back. “That’s what I just told them. We’ve got two more home games on this homestand and we want to build off it.” Ginobili injured his shooting hand in the second quarter. The two-time All-Star will be examined in San Antonio on Tuesday. “It’s going to be tough for us because he was playing at an All-Star level,” said point guard Tony Parker, who had 11 points and nine assists. “And now we’re going to have to have everybody pick it up.” Tim Duncan had 16 points and five assists and Richard Jefferson scored 16 points for the Spurs. The Timberwolves shot 58 percent for the game and were above 70 percent shooting midway through the third quarter. Playing with five stitches in the index finger on his shooting hand, Michael Beasley had 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting and Johnson bounced back after going 3 for 13 in his previous two games. “I was pressing,” Johnson said. “I was trying to find my shot moreso than letting it come to me. As I saw tonight, if I just be patient, it’s there.” The Spurs will get over the loss to Minnesota quickly. The loss of Ginobili could linger for a while. The team’s leading scorer is the emotional and fiery center of this proud, veteran team. With Duncan getting older and having his minutes limited to save him for the postseason, the offense revolves around Ginobili’s perimeter shooting and slashing to the basket. “Manu is pretty important to us and [...]

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Hawks run away from Heat in 4th, win 100-92

Hawks run away from Heat in 4th, win 100-92

MIAMI (AP & Staff) Atlanta played zone defense. Tracy McGrady found his zone. And with that, Miami’s unbeaten start came to an end. Joe Johnson scored 21 points, McGrady hit a pair of big 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and the Hawks recovered from early 10-point deficits to beat the Heat 100-92 on Monday night. McGrady and Al Horford each scored 16 for the Hawks (4-1), who opened the final period on a 15-3 run to take control. And McGrady made perhaps the two biggest plays of the night in the final minutes, first throwing a lob to Josh Smith for a dunk, then hitting a 3-pointer that gave the Hawks a 93-84 lead with 2:26 left. “Been a long time since I had that feeling,” McGrady said. “It feels good. It feels right.” LeBron James scored 28 points, Chris Bosh scored 19 and Dwyane Wade finished with 12 points and 10 assists for Miami (5-1). The Heat were outscored 33-21 in the fourth quarter and struggled against Atlanta’s zone defense, which not only slowed Miami down but disrupted its rhythm for long stretches. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said not only was the zone effective on the court, it got into Miami’s heads as well. “We need to work through it,” Spoelstra said. “Look, we’re going to see enough of it that we will have our breakthrough. We hope to have it sooner than later. … But you can see, our minds were heavy from that point on and our minds were occupied rather than playing free.” Jeff Teague finished with 15 points for Atlanta. McGrady and Jannero Pargo made 3-pointers midway through the fourth, giving Atlanta what was then its biggest lead at 82-74. Miami twice cut the lead to four, the second of those coming when Udonis Haslem made a free throw with 3:24 remaining. The Heat got no closer. Off a set play called during a time-out, McGrady’s lob to Smith gave Atlanta some breathing room, and then the Florida native connected from beyond the arc on the left wing to essentially seal the win for the Hawks. McGrady scored 13 in the fourth, his biggest final quarter since November 2008. “He played exceptionally well,” James said of McGrady. “When you’re born a scorer, you’re always a scorer. No matter what may happen to athleticism or anything like that, he’s a natural born scorer and we saw [...]

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Spurs G Ginobili out with broken left hand

Spurs G Ginobili out with broken left hand

    MINNEAPOLIS (AP and Staff) — San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili has broken his left hand against Minnesota and is out indefinitely. The Spurs say Ginobili will be examined by team doctors Tuesday in San Antonio. There is no timetable for his return. A two-time All-Star, Ginobili was injured when he fouled Anthony Tolliver as he rose to shoot the ball late in the second quarter Monday night. Ginobili immediately grabbed his shooting hand and crouched in pain near the scorer’s table as the team trainer came to his side. Ginobili was taken for X-rays, which revealed a broken fifth metacarpal, below his pinkie. As he walked back to the locker room, Tim Duncan gave him a pat on the head. Ginobili had eight points on 3-for-6 shooting in 12 minutes.

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Jamison, 3-pointers lead Cavaliers past Nets 98-82

Jamison, 3-pointers lead Cavaliers past Nets 98-82

CLEVELAND (AP & Staff) Kyrie Irving grew up rooting for the New Jersey Nets. On Sunday night, he helped the Cleveland Cavaliers send his former favorite team to a loss. Irving scored 13 points and started Cleveland’s barrage of 16 3-pointers, leading the Cavaliers to a 93-82 win over the Nets. “I even was up in the cheap seats for the (2003) NBA Finals with my dad and sister,” he said. “I’m in Cleveland now, so me being a Nets fan is kind of out the window. It’s a great win for our team.” Antawn Jamison scored 23 points and Cleveland made 16 of 26 shots from 3-point range, falling one short of the team record for 3s in a game. The Cavaliers made 17 3-pointers in the 2008 and ’09 seasons. Irving, the No. 1 pick in the draft, hit back-to-back 3-pointers early in the third period to start Cleveland’s run that took control of the game. The Cavaliers pulled away in the fourth quarter and the team Irving used to root for is winless in four games since an opening night victory. Deron Williams led New Jersey with 16 points. The Nets lost despite having all five starters score in double figures. “It’s another loss,” said Williams, who was 6 for 16 from the field and had his third game this season with six turnovers. “It’s definitely frustrating. I’m not helping the team at all. Hopefully, I can turn it around and we can get some wins.” Daniel Gibson’s 3-pointer gave the Cavaliers a 90-78 lead with 4:59 remaining. Gibson finished with 19 points, hitting 5-of-7 3-pointers. The Cavaliers were 10 of 12 on 3-pointers in the second half. “I’m still not convinced totally that we’re a 3-point shooting team, but I think we have some guys that are capable of knocking down some 3s on a consistent basis when we do it in the flow of the game,” said Cavaliers coach Byron Scott. “They had some guys really struggling from the 3-point line coming into the game and they caught fire,” New Jersey coach Avery Johnson said. “We didn’t do a good job running them off the line.” The game featured a matchup between New Jersey guard MarShon Brooks and Irving, the league’s top two rookie scorers. The advantage clearly went to Irving, who came into the game averaging 13.3 points. Brooks entered with a 15.3 average, [...]

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Boozer leads Bulls past Grizzlies 104-64

Boozer leads Bulls past Grizzlies 104-64

CHICAGO (AP & Staff) Carlos Boozer isn’t interested in winning over his critics. He’s interested in something else. “To win,” he said. The Chicago Bulls figure to do plenty of that, particularly if he keeps playing like this. Boozer scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and the Bulls coasted in their home opener, pounding the Memphis Grizzlies 104-64 on Sunday night. Derrick Rose finished with 16 points even though shots weren’t falling for him in the early going. Ronnie Brewer scored 17 with Richard Hamilton a late scratch because of a groin injury. The game was so lopsided that fans started calling for backup Brian Scalabrine in the third quarter, with the outcome clearly in hand. It was, easily, the most dominant performance of the young season for a team with soaring expectations. With their eyes on a championship, Bulls took three of four out West, beating Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in the opener and capping the trip with a victory over the Clippers. This time, they dismantled the Grizzlies. “It’s a major step back,” Memphis’ Rudy Gay said. “This is the NBA. The game definitely shouldn’t have gotten out of hand like that. We’re all professional athletes. We need to come up with a better showing than that.” Boozer led the way with 15 points and 11 rebounds as Chicago built a 54-28 halftime lead, scoring down low and hitting mid-range jumpers as if they were breakaway layups. He had 11 points during a 13-3 second-quarter run that bumped Chicago’s lead to 48-27. Not a bad home debut for a guy who heard his share of boos there last season, particularly down the stretch. “I’m not even worried about it, honestly,” said Boozer, who missed the first month a year ago because of a broken right hand after signing with Chicago and was limited by a turf toe injury in the postseason. “I don’t know which story you guys are trying to write, but I’m going to tell you this – we’re just worried about getting better every day.” At 4-1, the Bulls are off to their best start since the 1996-97 team won its first 12, and they won this one easily even though Luol Deng (11 points) had a quiet night and the ball wasn’t falling for Rose early on. He missed his first five shots and was 4 of 10, but he [...]

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Bosh scores 24 and Heat roll past Bobcats, 129-90

Bosh scores 24 and Heat roll past Bobcats, 129-90

MIAMI (AP & Staff) Last week, drama for the Miami Heat was defined as having one shot to beat the Charlotte Bobcats. On Sunday night, it was defined as whether the Heat would enjoy the biggest win in franchise history. Chris Bosh scored 20 of his 24 points in the first half, and the Heat improved to 5-0 for the first time by rolling past the Bobcats 129-90. The 129 points is the most scored by any NBA team so far this season and the 39-point victory margin matched the third-largest in Heat history, four shy of the team mark. “I think we’re where we should be,” Dwyane Wade said. “I think we’re only going to get better.” Wade scored 22 points and LeBron James, Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole all scored 16 for the Heat, who ran out to an 18-point lead after one quarter and held a 46-point lead at one point in the fourth. DJ White scored 21 points and Kemba Walker finished with 17 for Charlotte, which lost its seventh straight regular-season meeting against Miami. “Tonight was a night,” Bobcats’ guard Corey Maggette said, “where we just did not get it done.” The Heat needed a game-winner from Wade with 2.9 seconds left to win at Charlotte on Wednesday night. No such heroics were necessary this time. In fact, it took a falling-down 3-pointer from Walker – while getting fouled – with 3:26 left to get Charlotte back within 40 points. “Just one of those games where nothing went right,” Charlotte coach Paul Silas said. White made all eight of his shots in the first half for the Bobcats. The rest of Charlotte’s starters in the first 24 minutes shot a staggering 3 for 22, including an 0 for 7 from D.J. Augustin and 0 for 6 from Maggette. So in control was Miami that James – who got engaged to longtime girlfriend Savannah Brinson as his New Year’s highlight – wasn’t even an offensive factor in the first half. His first field goal of the game came on a layup with 48 seconds remaining before intermission, and by then the Heat lead was 63-37. “We came into the game tonight trying to play with a heightened sense of athleticism,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “I was encouraged by our ability to concentrate, even as we got the lead.” Chalmers made all four of his shots [...]

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Clippers beat Trail Blazers 93-88

Clippers beat Trail Blazers 93-88

LOS ANGELES (AP & Staff) In the closing seconds with his team ahead by two points, Chris Paul showed why the Los Angeles Clippers wanted him so badly. Paul scored on a driving layup, won a crucial jump ball against Jamal Crawford and then came up with a steal to help his new team open the new year with a 93-88 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night that snapped a two-game skid. “I take a lot of pride in controlling the game,” said Paul, who scored 17 points. “When you’re down to the last 2, 3 minutes, it’s all about managing the game, time and score.” Blake Griffin had 20 points and 10 rebounds for his second straight double-double, Caron Butler added 19 points and Mo Williams 13 off the bench to send the Blazers to their first loss of the season. “We were all over the place, diving for loose balls, scrapping, getting steals and getting out on the break,” Griffin said. “With two not-so-solid defensive games, it’s good to come out and play like this.” After allowing San Antonio and Chicago to shoot more than 50 percent in losing their previous two games, the Clippers held the Blazers to 42 percent. Crawford scored 23 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 19 for the Blazers, playing on the road for the first time after opening 3-0 at home. Nicolas Batum added 15 points. Portland erased most of a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but the Clippers hung on to end a five-game losing streak against their Western Conference rival. “CP’s a great player all by himself,” former Clipper Marcus Camby said, “and then when he got together with all those athletic guys like `Dre (DeAndre Jordan) and Blake, just throwing the ball up to the rim, it provides a lot of energy in the building, keeps those young guys pumped up, and they tend to feed off that.” The Blazers opened the fourth quarter with six straight points before Williams scored five in a row for the Clippers. Portland used a 16-5 run to close to 81-77 with just more than five minutes left. Crawford and Batum had six points each with both hitting 3-pointers. Paul tossed up an off-balance 3-pointer to beat the 24-second clock and keep the Clippers ahead 84-77. He and Griffin combined to score nine consecutive points and extend the lead to [...]

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LeBron James, Savannah Brinson engaged

LeBron James, Savannah Brinson engaged

MIAMI (AP & Staff) — LeBron James’ first order of business in 2012: Drop to one knee and ask longtime girlfriend Savannah Brinson to be his wife. Yes, she said yes. Moments after ringing in the new year, James surprised his high school sweetheart by popping the question — letting very few people in on the secret beforehand. He did it at a party both to celebrate New Year’s Eve and his 27th birthday, which was Friday. “My girl, she’s very excited,” James said Sunday night after he and the Miami Heat beat Charlotte 129-90. “She would love to answer more questions about it than me. But she’s happy, my family’s happy and that’s what it’s about.” With a number of teammates and close friends looking on, James pulled off a bit of a sneak attack. He and Brinson had discussed marriage in the past, but amid the din of ringing in 2012, she didn’t expect the two-time NBA MVP to get on bended knee at that moment. “It was beautiful,” Heat teammate Chris Bosh said. “I told him, ‘Good luck.’ It was nice. It was real nice.” The news got out quickly among James’ inner circle, with close friend Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers and Heat owner Micky Arison among those tweeting their congratulations before the New Years’ parties were winding down. Heat teammate Dwyane Wade was in charge of holding the ring until the big moment. “It’s very nice,” Wade said. “Very nice. They have good taste. … To me, it felt like he was on his knee for an hour. It was probably like 35 seconds. It was great. I feel so happy for them and their entire family.” James and Brinson are the parents of two sons. “I had no idea it was coming,” Bosh said. “I just heard some commotion, and yeah, there it was. It was nice. It was real cool.” No wedding date has been announced. “It should be a surprise for any woman anytime something like that happens,” James said. “She was surprised. It was great that all the friends and family were there to bring in a new year. Even my kids were happy about it, so that’s good. … I feel good. I feel good. It’s a good point in my life right now.”

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Bynum returns, leads Lakers over Nuggets

Bynum returns, leads Lakers over Nuggets

LOS ANGELES (AP & Staff) Andrew Bynum provided the Los Angeles Lakers with a powerful performance in his season debut, following a four-game suspension that carried over from the playoffs. It all would have been for naught, however, had it not been for some clutch shooting in the fourth quarter by Kobe Bryant and a couple of equally critical hustle plays by Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol in the final minutes. Bynum scored 29 points on 13 for 18 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds, leading the Lakers to a 92-89 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. The 7-foot center played 31 1/2 grueling minutes, helping the Lakers win their third straight following their first 0-2 start since 2002-03. “They were looking for me a lot. I was a focal point early in the offense, so I knew the quicker I got down the court, the better it was,” said Bynum, who made four of his first five shots and finished the first quarter with 10 points. “I was winded like crazy. I couldn’t breathe in the first six minutes. Defensively, getting back and all those things require me to be in better condition. So it’s going to take a little while.” Bynum was suspended without pay for the first four games because of a flagrant foul against Dallas’ J.J. Barea in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. The original ban was five games, but was reduced on Dec. 23 as a result of a shortened schedule caused by the lockout. “I really didn’t have the highest expectations,” said the seven-year veteran, who totaled 41 points and 23 rebounds in two preseason games against the Clippers. “I just wanted to come out and be aggressive. I wanted to get it down low, and when I got it, I made shots.” Bryant, bogged down by foul trouble, had 17 points along with nine assists and 10 rebounds. The Lakers overcame 2-for-24 shooting from 3-point range. Reserve forward Al Harrington had 21 points for the Nuggets, who have lost 25 of their last 29 road games against the Lakers. “The game of basketball treats you badly sometimes,” Denver coach George Karl said. “No one feels very good right now. They hurt us rebounding the ball and they hurt us with Bynum’s power underneath the basket. They’ve very good at playing an aggressive style of disrupting you, with guys coming at you [...]

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Anthony, Chandler lead Knicks over Kings 114-92

Anthony, Chandler lead Knicks over Kings 114-92

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP & Staff) Learning at a morning shootaround that he would be making his first NBA start because teammate Amare Stoudemire was injured, New York Knicks rookie Josh Harrellson didn’t have a lot of time to be nervous. And the rookie from Kentucky didn’t show it, either. Carmelo Anthony scored 23 points and the Knicks got an unexpected 14 points and 12 rebounds from Harrellson in controlling the game early and cruising past the Sacramento Kings, 114-92 on Saturday night. The Knicks didn’t miss starting forward Stoudemire, their leading rebounder and second-leading scorer, who sat out with a sprained left ankle. All five starters had 14 points or more for New York, which took a 14-point lead into halftime and the lead never dipped below double digits in the second half as the Knicks snapped a two-game losing streak. Tyson Chandler had 22 points and seven rebounds, and Landry Fields scored 21 points for the Knicks, who had struggled offensively in losing their previous two games, but had a season-high point total against the Kings. Toney Douglas had 17 points and eight assists, and Bill Walker added 11 points. “When the ball is moving like that, you can see how successful we can be offensively,” said Fields, discussing the Knicks’ season-high 26 assists. “It’s a very nice win. Hopefully it brings us momentum going into our next game (Monday at home against Toronto).” Harrellson connected on his first shot, a wide-open 3-pointer two minutes into the game. He added three more 3-pointers and clearly outplayed Kings center DeMarcus Cousins, his teammate for one season at Kentucky. “I guarded him all season at practice, so I felt like I know DeMarcus’ game,” Harrelson said. “I thought I did a good job on my former teammate. I was trying to get him out of whack, get him out of his rhythm.” There had been no rhythm offensively in the first three games for Harrellson, who had a combined three points and five rebounds in 29 minutes. “It was very important for me to make that first shot and get my confidence going,” Harrellson said. “They had to come out and guard me and that opened things up and left other people open.” New York (2-2) used a 15-0 run in the opening quarter to take a 35-20 lead. Douglas scored nine points and had three of the Knicks’ six 3-pointers. [...]

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Pistons beat Pacers, end Frank’s 20-game skid

Pistons beat Pacers, end Frank’s 20-game skid

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP & Staff) Lawrence Frank had a big smile and two important guests at his postgame press conference Saturday night. Moments after breaking his personal 20-game losing streak when the Detroit Pistons beat the Indiana Pacers 96-88, Frank brought his two young daughters in front of the cameras with him. “Welcome to Detroit, girls,” he said. Frank hadn’t won a game since April 13, 2009, when his Nets beat the Charlotte Bobcats. The Nets lost their final game that season, and Frank was fired after New Jersey got off to a 0-16 start the next fall. He also lost his first three games with the Pistons since replacing John Kuester during the offseason. “I’m all about breaking records,” joked Frank, who was tied for the fifth-longest losing streak in NBA history. “But I’m really glad to see this team get some reward for their hard work. It was never about me. I wanted a win for our team.” Frank got a lot of help from an unlikely source – Jonas Jerebko. The Swede, who missed all of last season after tearing his Achilles’ tendon in the preseason, had 20 points and 12 rebounds. “I played smart tonight, and I hit my shots,” said Jerebko, who narrowly missed his career bests of 22 points and 13 boards. “I always knew I could do this.” Greg Monroe added 19 points and 11 rebounds as a tiny crowd got a look at what Detroit hopes will be their post pairing for the future. “It’s great playing with Greg,” Jerebko said. “He was a rookie last year and I was hurt, so we’re still getting used to each other’s games, but once we get that time together, it is going to be great.” The Pistons got a scare with 2:58 left when Monroe and Rodney Stuckey collided going for a loose ball. Both needed attention from the training staff, but stayed in the game after the ensuing timeout. “I saw Stuck going for the ball, but I thought I could miss him,” said Monroe, who outweighs Stuckey by 45 pounds. “We both wanted to get back in there, because we weren’t going to be denied this victory.” Tyler Hansbrough and George Hill each had 16 points off the bench for the Pacers, who lost for the first time in four games this season. “Hats off to Detroit,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel [...]

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Ginobili leads Spurs past Jazz, 104-89

Ginobili leads Spurs past Jazz, 104-89

SAN ANTONIO (AP & Staff) Manu Ginobili got the San Antonio Spurs back on the winning track, and Gregg Popovich to the 800-win plateau. Ginobili scored 23 points, 14 in the second quarter, to lead the Spurs to a 104-89 victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night. He was 9 of 10 from the field, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range. Popovich is the 14th coach to reach 800 wins and ranks third among active coaches behind George Karl (1,038) and Rick Adelman (945). “I don’t feel as old as you look,” Popovich said to one reporter when asked if reaching 800 wins equates to getting old. “Other than that, you get that number of wins, it does mean you’ve been hanging around for a while. And that you’ve got good staff and good players and a good management team. We’ve all achieved 800 wins, I haven’t really.” Popovich, in his 16th year of coaching, is second on the career wins list for one team, behind Utah’s Jerry Sloan (1,127). Most of the victories have been with his Big Three: Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. “I don’t think the number itself is significant. The round number of 800,” Ginobili said. “It’s been 16 seasons of coaching great teams, coaching very well, making it to the finals, winning regular-season games and becoming with time, probably one of the most respected, for sure, coaches in the league. Very happy and proud of him. He’s my only coach in my NBA career. It’s a great thing.” DeJuan Blair had 17 points and 10 rebounds. Parker added 14 points and Duncan 12 as San Antonio moved to 3-1. Duncan continued to struggle to find his form. The 36-year-old forward followed up his 1-of-8 performance in Houston by going 4 of 13 from the field. He had nine rebounds. Ginobili injected life to an offense that had gone cold in Thursday’s 105-85 loss to the Houston Rockets. He began the Spurs’ quick turnaround in the second period, scoring the first 11 points of the quarter. That propelled San Antonio on a 22-10 run that ended with Richard Jefferson hitting a 3-pointer with 5:26 left and gave the Spurs 17-point lead. The Spurs were 7 of 8 from the 3-point line during the second period and 10 for 16 for the game ( 63 percent). “In Houston, I couldn’t make one,” Ginobili said [...]

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Westbrook, Thunder coast past Suns, 107-97

Westbrook, Thunder coast past Suns, 107-97

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP & Staff) Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder keep showing they know how to finish a year in style. Westbrook scored 18 points, Daequan Cook hit four 3-pointers in quick succession to help Oklahoma City pull away in the first half and the Thunder led wire to wire in a 107-97 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night. The Thunder are perfect in four New Year’s Eve home games that have become a tradition since the franchise moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City. “You’ve got to start the new year with a win,” Westbrook said. “Hopefully, we can keep this going.” At 5-0, Oklahoma City is also off to the franchise’s best start since it won the first six games of the 1998-99 season – the last time the NBA schedule was shortened because of a lockout. Behind the strong start has been a lockdown defense that has held each of the first five opponents to under 45 percent shooting. The Suns made 39.8 percent, becoming the third opponent to make less than 40 percent. It’s the first time in 30 years Oklahoma City’s franchise has held three of its first five opponents under 40 percent from the field. “We’re playing hard, everybody’s engaging on the defensive end and helping each other,” said Thabo Sefolosha, who scored 12 points. “It’s a big part of our success right now.” Two nights after his buzzer-beater against Dallas, Kevin Durant had only 12 points in his bid to become the first player since Michael Jordan a quarter-century earlier to score at least 30 in the first five games of a season. Hakim Warrick and rookie Markieff Morris had 15 points apiece for the Suns, who continued a dreadful offensive start despite scoring their most points yet this season. “We have not been able to do a lot of the stuff that we anticipated doing,” coach Alvin Gentry said before the game. “Obviously, we’ve got some of the core guys but you’re talking about second-unit guys and things like that. We haven’t been able to do nearly as much as we would like to. “From a playbook standpoint, we’ve probably put a third in as opposed to what we would have done in a normal situation.” Oklahoma City led from the outset, getting a two-handed dunk from Serge Ibaka just after the opening tip and scoring the first seven [...]

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