Hawks win third straight
Joe Johnson scored 25 points – six on consecutive possessions in overtime – and the surprising Atlanta Hawks won their third straight, 104-95 on Tuesday night over the host Cleveland Cavaliers, who again couldn’t make their free throws.
Tyronn Lue added 19 points, 11 assists and made a buzzer-beating layup to force OT for the Hawks.
Atlanta, which has had seven consecutive losing seasons and decades of frustration, improved to 3-1, one season after the Hawks started 2-16 and didn’t get win No. 3 until Dec. 10.
Zaza Pachulia added 19 points and Josh Smith 15 for the Hawks.
LeBron James scored 34 points – 24 after halftime – and Drew Gooden 21 for the Cavs, the NBA’s worst free-throw shooters who went 23 of 37 from the line and missed several crucial attempts down the stretch.
It was just the Hawks’ second win in 11 games against the Cavs.
Pacers 97, 76ers 86: At Indianapolis, Jermaine O’Neal had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Indiana handed Philadelphia its first loss of the season.
Reserve Rawle Marshall scored 16 points, while Al Harrington and Danny Granger each had 14 for Indiana, which won its second consecutive game by double digits.
Allen Iverson finished with 20 points on 8-of-22 shooting from the field for the 76ers, who trailed by double figures the entire second half. Kyle Korver and Willie Green each scored 14.
Lakers 95, Timberwolves 88: At Los Angeles, Andrew Bynum had 20 points, 14 rebounds and some key plays down the stretch in the Lakers’ victory over Minnesota.
Kobe Bryant, in the third game of his comeback from last summer’s knee surgery, had 17 points while taking only seven shots, and added six assists in the Lakers’ well-balanced scoring.
Lamar Odom chipped in with 15 points and nine rebounds, and Luke Walton had 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
Hornets 97, Warriors 93: At Oklahoma City, Chris Paul had 22 points and 11 assists, Peja Stojakovic converted a go-ahead three-point play, and New Orleans beat Golden State for their best start in franchise history.
The Hornets’ 4-0 start is their best since being created as an expansion franchise before the 1988-89 season. Previously, their most wins to start a season was three in 2003-04.
After Philadelphia’s loss, the Hornets and Utah Jazz – both 4-0 – are the NBA’s only remaining undefeated teams.
Rockets 86, Grizzlies 80: At Memphis, Tenn., Yao Ming scored 11 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter to lead Houston over the Grizzlies.
Yao scored nine of Houston’s first 10 points in the final period to help the Rockets withstand a comeback try by the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies, who never led in the game, cut a seven-point lead deficit to 72-71 on a one-handed slam by Dahntay Jones over Yao early in the quarter.
Around the league
Portland Trail Blazers rookie Brandon Roy will miss tonight’s game against the Lakers because of a heel injury. An MRI revealed an impingement in his left heel, but no major damage, general manager Steve Patterson said on the team’s Web site. … Jalen Rose signed with the Phoenix Suns and is expected to be in uniform at San Antonio today. Rose will receive about $1.5 million in his one-year deal with Phoenix, just more than the NBA veteran’s minimum.