Cavs get needed win over Detroit
Interim coach Brendan Malone refused to take credit for this one.
A day after Paul Silas was fired, Malone led a Cleveland Cavaliers team in turmoil to a much-needed 91-76 win over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night in Cleveland, ending a three-game losing streak.
“The players did it,” Malone said. “It wasn’t me. It was the players.”
LeBron James scored 29 and finally got some help from the Cavaliers bench.
Malone gave more playing time to Anderson Varejao and other reserves and it paid off. Varejao scored 11 and played tough defense with two blocks that ignited Cleveland.
The Cavaliers scored 21 points off 15 turnovers and limited Detroit to 29 points in the second half.
“We played great tonight,” Malone said. “Our defensive intensity was great against one of the best teams in the NBA.”
Malone had his tie loosened from the opening tip and was often on his feet, fervently encouraging his players.
“I’m happy for coach,” James said. “The key was playing with a lot of energy and defensive focus. A lot has happened in the past couple days, but we’ve got to put it all behind us.”
Rasheed Wallace scored 25 points and Tayshaun Prince had 22 for the Pistons. The loss snapped their five-game winning streak.
Detroit was without leading scorer Richard Hamilton, who was out with a sprained left ankle. Rookie guard Carlos Delfino made his first start in Hamilton’s place and scored four points.
Rockets 84, Heat 82: At Houston, Tracy McGrady scored 26 points and Houston snapped Miami’s 12-game winning streak.
David Wesley scored 14 points, Yao Ming and seldom-used forward Clarence Weatherspoon added 12 and aging center Dikembe Mutombo gave the Rockets a lift off the bench to keep the NBA’s top-scoring twosome of Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade in check.
O’Neal led Miami with 23 points and 16 rebounds, getting the best of his personal rivalry with Yao. Wade added 20 on 4-of-19 shooting
Nets 98, Pacers 91: At East Rutherford, N.J., just in time for the stretch run, New Jersey has put together its longest winning streak of the season.
The Nets won their fifth straight game, getting 33 points from Vince Carter and outplaying Indiana in the fourth quarter.
Suns 105, Hawks 94: At Atlanta, Amare Stoudemire had 40 points and 13 rebounds to help Phoenix beat Atlanta and become just the ninth NBA team to win 50 games following a 50-loss season.
Jazz 115, Lakers 107: At Salt Lake City, Mehmet Okur had 27 points and 16 rebounds and Utah handed Los Angeles its sixth straight loss, despite 43 points from Kobe Bryant.
Nuggets 127, Wizards 98: At Denver, DerMarr Johnson had 20 points, Eduardo Najera added 16 and Denver ran over its fourth straight opponent, beating Washington.
The Nuggets have been the NBA’s hottest team since the All-Star break and gave the Wizards a glimpse of why at both ends. Denver had six players in double figures, shot 55 percent and had 37 assists.
Kings 112, Trail Blazers 93: At Sacramento, Calif., Kenny Thomas had 24 points and nine rebounds in his best game in Sacramento, and coach Rick Adelman recorded his 700th career victory against his former team in the Kings’ win over Portland.
Off the court
Allen Iverson was fined $10,000 by the NBA for a heated exchange the Philadelphia guard had with an official following the 76ers’ loss to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. … The Miami Heat placed forward Christian Laettner on the injured list with a right foot injury and activated center Wang Zhi-Zhi. Forward Udonis Haslem sat out the game against Houston because of a slightly separated left shoulder. … Orlando Magic swingman Hedo Turkoglu will miss the rest of the season after fracturing his left wrist, the team said after an examination by team doctors.