A.I. torches Bucks
Allen Iverson looked like he might be on his way to another career game when he put up 45 points in the first three quarters against his favorite foils, the Milwaukee Bucks.
After a quiet fourth quarter, Iverson settled for 48 points and leading Philadelphia to a 118-111 victory Tuesday night at Milwaukee over the Bucks, who have been burned for three straight games of at least 40 points by the 76ers All-Star.
“Honestly, they play me one-on-one, straight up,” Iverson said of a Bucks’ defense he penetrated at will. “Except in the last quarter. I guess they felt like they had to do something.”
By then it, it was too late.
Iverson reached 40 points against the Bucks for the sixth time in his career, his most against any opponent. He had 40 and 54 points in his previous two games versus Milwaukee.
“AI has our number,” said Mo Williams who drew the difficult task of trying to stop Iverson. “He seems to play really, really well against us.”
He got off to a fast start in this one, scoring 20 in the first quarter.
“He was just on fire,” Williams said after watching Iverson make 18 of 30 shots, including five 3-pointers. “He was in such a good rhythm that really nobody could stop him tonight.”
Sixers coach Jim O’Brien could only agree after Philadelphia beat the Bucks for the third time this season.
“It was the quickest 40 points I think I have ever witnessed,” O’Brien said. “He was spectacular.”
Kyle Korver had 20 points and Chris Webber added 15 before fouling out with 2:02 left in the game as the Sixers snapped a three-game losing streak and won with Webber for the first time.
Michael Redd had 35 points, Desmond Mason added 28 and Williams 22 and nine assists and three steals for Milwaukee, which had won six of seven at home.
Iverson had a career-high and NBA season-high of 60 points set against Orlando on Feb. 12 and seemed set to surpass before coming up with just one 3-pointer in the fourth quarter.
Rockets 119, Bulls 89: At Chicago, Tracy McGrady scored 32 points with seven assists in three quarters and Mike James added 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting to lead Houston.
The Rockets won for the first time since the All-Star break, snapping a three-game losing streak.
The resurgent Bulls, in playoff contention for the first time since 1998, suffered their worst loss of the season. Eddy Curry scored 17 points for Chicago and Ben Gordon added 15.
Grizzlies 99, Warriors 97: At Memphis, Tenn., Mike Miller scored 19 points and had a key steal and two clutch free throws with 10.4 seconds to help Memphis edge Golden State.
Shane Battier scored a season-high 25 points and Brian Cardinal added 20 as the Grizzlies won their second straight game.
Bobcats 94, Kings 87: At Charlotte, N.C., Gerald Wallace had 16 points, seven rebounds and five steals against his former team, leading Charlotte to a victory.
Wallace was drafted by Sacramento and spent three seasons there before the Kings left him unprotected in the expansion draft. He shot 7 of 12 from the floor after sitting out Charlotte’s last game with a sprained wrist.
Pistons 103, Trail Blazers 93: At Portland, former Trail Blazer Rasheed Wallace had 12 points and 10 rebounds as Detroit defeated Portland to extend its season-best winning streak to eight games.
Richard Hamilton had 20 points and nine assists for the Pistons, who have won 13 of 14.
Nuggets 97, Hawks 74: At Denver, Carmelo Anthony scored 23 points and triggered a big third-quarter run, pushing Denver past Atlanta for its fourth straight win.Al Harrington led Atlanta with 18 points. Josh Smith finished with nine points.
Gilbert finally takes over in Cleveland
Detroit mortgage magnate Dan Gilbert assumed majority ownership of the Cleveland Cavaliers, taking over a once troubled NBA franchise saved by LeBron James.
Gilbert, who turned a $5,000 investment in the 1980s into an online banking empire, bought the Cavaliers for $375 million from Gordon Gund. The 42-year-old Gilbert heads a principal ownership group that includes Grammy Award-winning R&B artist Usher; business partner David Katzman; and Gund, who will retain at least a 10-percent stake.
Founder of Quicken Loans, Gilbert needed approval of only the NBA’s board of governors to complete the transaction and take over day-to-day management of the team and the operating rights to the 20,000-seat downtown arena. That consent finally came Tuesday.
Around the league
Alan Henderson signed with the Dallas Mavericks, rejoining the team less than a week after the Mavs traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks. … Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin left Tuesday night’s game against Atlanta after the first quarter because of tendinitis in his left knee. The pain flared up for Martin during Sunday’s win at New Orleans. He started but came out after only three minutes. … Utah Jazz forward Matt Harpring is doubtful for today’s home game against the Atlanta Hawks because of an inflamed right knee. Harpring had an MRI that revealed the inflammation.