Grizzlies Avoid Becoming 1st Nuggets Victim
Shareef Abdur-Rahim scored 28 points and the Vancouver Grizzlies rallied to beat visiting Denver 99-96 Friday night to avoid becoming the first team to lose to the Nuggets this season.
The Nuggets, who have yet to win under rookie coach Bill Hanzlik, have lost a franchise-record 10 straight to start the season. They remain the NBA’s only winless team.
The 10 consecutive losses mark the third-longest losing streak in franchise history. The Nuggets also have failed to score 100 points in a single game.
Denver, which led by as many as 15 points, began unraveling late in the third quarter. Trailing 84-73 with 41 seconds left in the third, the Grizzlies changed their fortunes by going on an 18-2 run.
Other games
Michael Jordan scored 49 points, including all nine of Chicago’s points in the second overtime, to lead the Bulls to their first road victory of the season, 111-102 over the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Clippers, losing their eighth straight game, missed all six of their shots and failed to score in the second extra period.
Jordan scored the Bulls’ final nine points in regulation, and their last four in the first overtime, bringing Chicago from behind on both occasions.
The Boston Celtics avenged a loss to New Jersey that broke their four-game winning streak and beat the visiting Nets 101-93 behind 24 points and 12 rebounds from Antoine Walker.
Wesley Person scored 22 points, Shawn Kemp had 19 and the Cleveland Cavaliers dealt the Minnesota Timberwolves their third straight home loss, 103-80.
Rider suspended
Isaiah Rider of the Portland Trail Blazers drew another suspension Friday as he was banned for three games and fined $10,000 for spitting at a fan in Detroit.
The incident happened at halftime of Thursday night’s 93-87 victory over the Pistons. The suspension drew angry responses from Rider, his agent, the players’ union and the Trail Blazers’ front office.
“The NBA made no effort whatsoever to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident,” players association director Billy Hunter said. “Had it done so, the NBA would have found that J.R. was provoked by a visibly drunken fan who physically and verbally abused J.R. and his family.”
The Los Angeles Lakers will have to continue their quest for the best start in NBA history without center Shaquille O’Neal.
Hampered by a strained abdominal muscle on and off since the start of training camp, O’Neal will be sidelined for at least 10 days after re-aggravating the injury in a game against Minnesota on Wednesday.
Philadelphia acquired veteran forward Tom Chambers from Phoenix for guard Marko Milic. Chambers, 38, will give the 76ers help in the front court while Derrick Coleman is sidelined with an irregular heartbeat.