Bulls pummel Sonics
Ben Gordon scored 27 points, Luol Deng added 20, and the Chicago Bulls scored their most lopsided victory of the season by pounding the Seattle SuperSonics 123-96 on Tuesday night at Chicago.
It was the fifth win in seven games for the Bulls, who were coming off a 92-81 loss to Boston.
Against the Sonics, the Bulls got open looks and, more important, hit them.
The league’s worst shooting team, Chicago converted 53.7 percent of its field goals. The Bulls led 67-49 at halftime after outscoring the Sonics by 14 in the second quarter and never let up.
Sonics rookie Kevin Durant scored 16 points in 24 minutes, but he had no help.
The Bulls had plenty of balance, though.
Gordon immediately served notice that he was on target after a miserable performance in Saturday’s 92-81 loss to Eastern Conference leader.
He hit his first four shots and scored 14 points in the first quarter. He was 12 of 19 overall from the field, after going 5 for 20 and missing all 10 shots in the second half against the Celtics on Saturday.
Trail Blazers 97, Jazz 89: At Salt Lake City, Martell Webster scored 25 points and Portland won on the road for just the second time this season, beating Utah.
Portland – which has won four straight – played without leading scorer LaMarcus Aldridge, who did not travel with the team because of a foot injury.
Cavaliers 118, Pacers 105: At Cleveland, LeBron James came back – as a reserve – and the Cavaliers, sparked by their superstar’s return, snapped a six-game losing streak with a win over Indiana.
James, the NBA’s leading scorer, had missed Cleveland’s previous five games with a sprained left index finger. Wearing a padded, protective glove on his hand, James scored 17 points in 22 minutes. Larry Hughes led Cleveland with 36.
Raptors 100, Hawks 88: At Atlanta, T.J. Ford scored 26 points before he was sent crashing to the floor with an apparent injury on a flagrant foul late in the game, casting a pall over Toronto’s victory over the Hawks.
Ford, who missed the 2004-05 season following neck surgery, was headed toward a breakaway basket when Atlanta rookie Al Horford hit the guard’s face with his hand. Ford landed hard, his head bouncing off the floor. Ford was conscious but did not appear to move before he was strapped to a stretcher and wheeled off the court.
Wizards 102, Timberwolves 88: At Washington, Antawn Jamison led the way with 22 points and 13 rebounds, Caron Butler added 20 points and 10 rebounds, and the Wizards overcame a career-high 36 points from Craig Smith to beat Minnesota.
Brendan Haywood had 11 points and 14 rebounds, and reserve guard Roger Mason Jr. scored 17 points.
Clippers 91, Nets 82: At East Rutherford, N.J., Chris Kaman and Tim Thomas both scored 18 points to lead Los Angeles past the Nets for its first win in New Jersey in nearly 10 years.
Richard Jefferson led the Nets with 21 points but was 6 for 21 from the field.
Pistons 113, Grizzlies 103: At Memphis, Tenn., Chauncey Billups had 28 points and 14 assists, while Richard Hamilton scored 27 points as Detroit beat the Grizzlies.
Rudy Gay led Memphis with 20 points.
Warriors 96, Spurs 84: At Oakland, Calif., Baron Davis had 18 points, six rebounds and six assists and Golden State took advantage of Tim Duncan sitting out another game for San Antonio, beating the sloppy Spurs.
Stephen Jackson had 20 points, five assists and five boards and Matt Barnes added 16 points as the Warriors used a big second quarter to snap the Spurs’ five-game winning streak.
Around the league
NBA commissioner David Stern won’t punish Isiah Thomas or Madison Square Garden for their role in a sexual harassment trial that embarrassed the Knicks and the league. … Lawyers defending Jayson Williams in a manslaughter case are seeking details about a racial slur made by a prosecution investigator against the black former NBA star.