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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Brand nets 30; Clippers keep Cavaliers reeling


Cavs' LeBron James slips between Clippers' Elton Brand, left, and Chris Kaman.
 (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press

Elton Brand had 30 points and nine rebounds, Corey Maggette scored 24 points and Chris Kaman had a career-high 19 rebounds, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 102-90 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night in Los Angeles.

LeBron James had 30 points for the Cavaliers, who beat Los Angeles 112-105 in overtime four nights earlier in Cleveland. The Cavs, who squandered a 34-point effort by James in Friday night’s loss at Seattle, have lost four of five following an eight-game winning streak. They are 5-4 when James scores 30 or more points.

In a matchup of the NBA’s Eastern and Western Conference players of the month, James got off to a slow start against Brand – missing his first five shots and 12 of his first 15 before finishing 8 for 25 from the field. James averaged 31.6 points over his previous six games.

Los Angeles opened the game with a 20-4 run, while Cleveland made only one of its first 14 shots. The Cavaliers shot 34.8 percent overall against the Clippers, who came in with the stingiest field-goal percentage defense in the league.

Brand and Maggette combined for 26 points to help Los Angeles build a 52-39 lead at intermission.

Spurs 100, Sixers 91: Tony Parker scored 20 points and Brent Barry hit four 3-pointers in the second half to lead the Spurs to a comeback win over Philadelphia in San Antonio.

The Spurs, down three at halftime, took control in the third quarter by outscoring the Sixers 31-18.

Tim Duncan scored 16 points and had 12 rebounds for the Spurs, who won their third straight. Barry had 14 points and Rasho Nesterovic 12, both season-highs.

Allen Iverson scored a game-high 37 for Philadelphia.

Nuggets 101, Heat 99: Carmelo Anthony scored 23 points and Earl Boykins hit a 3-pointer with 17 seconds left to send the Nuggets past Miami in Denver.

Andre Miller added 22 points for the Nuggets, who had coach George Karl back on the bench from a two-game suspension as they ended a three-game skid.

Dwyane Wade led Miami with 32 points and Antoine Walker scored 20.

Karl returned from his second two-game suspension of the season, during which the Nuggets went 0-4 under assistant Scott Brooks. Karl, who was suspended for the first two games of the season for improper contact with a player ineligible for the draft in the off-season, drew another two-game penalty without pay for criticizing the officiating after a loss to New Jersey.

Pistons 92, Bulls 79: Rasheed Wallace scored 26 points and Tayshaun Prince and Chauncey Billups added 17 apiece to lead visiting Detroit over Chicago for its fourth straight victory.

Down 15 in the second quarter, the Pistons tied it at halftime and blew out the Bulls 27-10 in the third.

Luol Deng scored 18 to top Chicago.

Mavericks 97, Hornets 88: Dirk Nowitzki scored 16 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter to break out of a shooting slump, and Dallas beat visiting New Orleans for the 15th straight time.

Nowitzki, who scored a season-low 14 points Thursday against San Antonio, scored 10 straight points to help Dallas pull away after New Orleans crept within three early in the fourth.

Nowitzki was 10 of 17 from the floor after going 8 for 35 in Dallas’ previous two games – both losses.

Chris Paul had 25 points and Speedy Claxton had 21 for the Hornets.

Bucks 104, Magic 84: Michael Redd scored 30 points and Dan Gadzuric added a season-high 16 to lead Milwaukee past visiting Orlando.

Jameer Nelson led Orlando with 20 points.

Raptors 95, Nets 82: Chris Bosh scored a season-high 29 points and Morris Peterson added 24 to lead Toronto past New Jersey for its third win of the season and second road victory in two nights.

Grizzlies 90, Rockets 75: Damon Stoudamire scored 24 points and Memphis hit a franchise-record 15 3-pointers in a road win over Houston.

Memphis, which has won five straight, was 15 of 32 from 3-point range to break the team record of 13 set against Milwaukee last January.