NBA - Barbosa and Stoudemire shine for Phoenix
NEW YORK (NBA) - Leandro Barbosa scored 31 points and Amare Stoudemire contributed 28 to overcome a career high 42 points from Chris Bosh and lift the Western Conference Pacific Division leading Phoenix Suns to a 122-103 victory over the Toronto Raptors. Grant Hill added 25 points and Steve Nash contributed 16 assists for Phoenix, who reached the 19-win mark before Christmas for only the third time in franchise history.
NEW YORK (NBA) - Leandro Barbosa scored 31 points and Amare Stoudemire contributed 28 to overcome a career high 42 points from Chris Bosh and lift the Western Conference Pacific Division leading Phoenix Suns to a 122-103 victory over the Toronto Raptors.
Grant Hill added 25 points and Steve Nash contributed 16 assists for Phoenix, who reached the 19-win mark before Christmas for only the third time in franchise history.
Elsewhere in the Western Conference, Tim Duncan scored 34 points and grabbed 18 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs survived a late rally for a 99-90 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
In New Orleans, David West scored 22 points and Chris Paul added 19 and 15 assists to lead the Hornets to a fourth straight victory at home with a 110-76 rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In the Eastern Conference, rookie Yi Jianlian used an array of jumpers, dunks and fast-break lay-ups en route to a career-high 29 points as the Milwaukee Bucks posted a 103-99 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.
In Indianapolis, Danny Granger scored 25 points and Kareem Rush added 15 off the bench as the Pacers downed the Washington Wizards 93-85.
Elsewhere, in Miami Dwyane Wade scored 13 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and hit a jumper at the buzzer to lead the Miami Heat to a 104-102 victory over the Utah Jazz. Deron Williams scored 22 points and had seven assists for the Jazz.
At the Izod Center in New Jersey, Vince Carter buried a wide-open three-pointer with 24 seconds left to lift the Nets to a 100-95 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Richard Jefferson scored 31 points and Carter added 23 and a season high 13 rebounds for New Jersey.
In Memphis, Andre Iguodala's game winning 20-footer as time expired lifted the Philadelphia 76ers to a 99-97 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. Iguodala dominated the fourth quarter, scoring 17 of his 23 points in the period on seven-of-nine shooting to help Philadelphia erase an 11-point second-half deficit.
Finally, despite losing All-Star centre Yao Ming for part of the second half with a sprained right thumb, the Houston Rockets recorded a 116-98 victory on over the Chicago Bulls to end their second three-game losing streak.
FIBA