FIBA Basketball
NBA - Ilgauskas grounds Rockets
NEW YORK (NBA) - Lithuanian international Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored six of his 21 points in overtime to help lift the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 104-102 win over the Houston Rockets. Team USA starlet LeBron James led
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NEW YORK (NBA) - Lithuanian international Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored six of his 21 points in overtime to help lift the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 104-102 win over the Houston Rockets.
Team USA starlet LeBron James led the Cleveland attack with 36 points, extending the team's winning streak and edging them closer to a first play-off appearance in James' three-year career.
There were 12 lead changes in a thrilling final period. With the Rockets ahead by one and 34 seconds remaining, China's Yao Ming blocked Ronald Murray's layup and Juwan Howard made a pair of free throws to give Houston a three-point lead with 25 seconds left.
But James then hit a tough layup, drawing a foul from Keith Bogans, and tied the game from the charity stripe.
He then stole the ball from Yao at the other end to force the extra period.
Ilgauskas and Yao opened overtime with four points apiece before James gave Cleveland the lead for good, 97-95, with a dunk over Howard with 3:25 to play.
All three men are likely to star at the FIBA World Championship this summer.
Damon Jones added a season-high 22 off the bench for Cleveland.
For Houston, Yao collected 27 points and seven rebounds, while Rafer Alston had 22 and seven. Howard grabbed 12 rebounds to go with a dozen points.
Serbia & Montenegro's Nenad Kristic helped the New Jersey Nets record a surprise 79-74 win at the home of the league-leading Detroit Pistons.
Krstic had 16 points while Vince Carter led the Nets with 22 points.
Detroit's Chauncey Billups missed a pair of potential go-ahead three-pointers in the final 70 seconds.
Richard Hamilton scored 19 points and Antonio McDyess added 11 and a season-high 18 rebounds for the Pistons, who totalled a season low for the second straight game.
Spain's Pau Gasol is in fine form at present and his 33 points and 15 rebounds helped Memphis in a 102-95 win over the Charlotte Bobcats.
However, it was Eddie Jones who made the clutch plays for the Grizzlies, making a steal, two free throws and a three-pointer in the final two minutes.
The game was tied at 87-87 with 5:42 remaining after Charlotte's Brevin Knight sank a jumper - part of his tally of 17 points and 16 assists - but Gasol responded with a free throw and rolling hook to give Memphis the lead for good.
Gerald Wallace scored 25 points, Kareem Rush added 21 off the bench and Slovenia's Primoz Brezec collected 13 for the Bobcats.
Turkey's Hedo Turkoglu led the Orlando Magic to a 108-101 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
Turkoglu had 21 points, while Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson added 15 each in the win.
Orlando, while out of serious play-off contention, are improving considerably and have now won seven of their last 10.
One reason for the improvement has been the acquisition of Serbia & Montenegro international Darko Milicic from Detroit. The 7ft forward scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds off the bench.
Puerto Rico guard Carlos Arroyo, who arrived in the same trade, was held to six points.
Al Harrington scored 20 points and Joe Johnson added 19 for the Hawks.
Allen Iverson and Chris Webber combined for 50 points but got precious little help from their Philadelphia team-mates in a 92-79 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Iverson led the 76ers with 26 points while Webber added 24, but a more balanced attack led the Pacers to victory.
Stephen Jackson scored 23 points and Serbia & Montenegro's Peja Stojakovic added 18 for Indiana, who also got 17 points and 12 rebounds off the bench from rookie Danny Granger.
The Toronto Raptors wasted an outstanding effort from rookie Charlie Villanueva in a 125-116 overtime loss to Milwaukee.
Villanueva exploded for 48 points but it was not enough as Michael Redd lifted the Bucks to victory.
Redd scored eight of his 35 points in the extra period, and got help as reserve Joe Smith scored 19 points and Charlie Bell added 18 and 11 assists.
Ray Allen scored 20 of his 33 points in the second half as the Seattle SuperSonics rallied for a surprise 106-102 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
Allen's haul included the go-ahead three-pointer with 5.4 seconds left.
Tim Duncan bounced back from his lowest-score of the season to collect 28 points and 10 rebounds, but it was not enough for the Spurs, who relinquished an 11 point third-quarter lead.
Argentina's Manu Ginobili scored 17 points for the Spurs, who also got 17 and 12 assists from France's Tony Parker.
Parker's international team-mate Johan Petro had six points and six rebounds for Seattle.
Luol Deng led the Chicago Bulls to a 101-97 victory over the Boston Celtics, scoring 20 points to cancel out 24 from Boston's Paul Pierce.
Argentina's Andres Nocioni had 12 points for Chicago, one of six Bulls in double figures.
Kobe Bryant led the Los Angeles Lakers with 30 points in their 105-94 win over the New Orleans Saints.
The Minnesota Timberwolves almost squandered a big lead but hung on for a 98-94 win over the New York Knicks, the Los Angeles Clippers won in Portland, beating the Trail Blazers 97-83, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Sacramento Kings 90-83.
PA Sport
NEW YORK (NBA) - Lithuanian international Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored six of his 21 points in overtime to help lift the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 104-102 win over the Houston Rockets.
Team USA starlet LeBron James led the Cleveland attack with 36 points, extending the team's winning streak and edging them closer to a first play-off appearance in James' three-year career.
There were 12 lead changes in a thrilling final period. With the Rockets ahead by one and 34 seconds remaining, China's Yao Ming blocked Ronald Murray's layup and Juwan Howard made a pair of free throws to give Houston a three-point lead with 25 seconds left.
But James then hit a tough layup, drawing a foul from Keith Bogans, and tied the game from the charity stripe.
He then stole the ball from Yao at the other end to force the extra period.
Ilgauskas and Yao opened overtime with four points apiece before James gave Cleveland the lead for good, 97-95, with a dunk over Howard with 3:25 to play.
All three men are likely to star at the FIBA World Championship this summer.
Damon Jones added a season-high 22 off the bench for Cleveland.
For Houston, Yao collected 27 points and seven rebounds, while Rafer Alston had 22 and seven. Howard grabbed 12 rebounds to go with a dozen points.
Serbia & Montenegro's Nenad Kristic helped the New Jersey Nets record a surprise 79-74 win at the home of the league-leading Detroit Pistons.
Krstic had 16 points while Vince Carter led the Nets with 22 points.
Detroit's Chauncey Billups missed a pair of potential go-ahead three-pointers in the final 70 seconds.
Richard Hamilton scored 19 points and Antonio McDyess added 11 and a season-high 18 rebounds for the Pistons, who totalled a season low for the second straight game.
Spain's Pau Gasol is in fine form at present and his 33 points and 15 rebounds helped Memphis in a 102-95 win over the Charlotte Bobcats.
However, it was Eddie Jones who made the clutch plays for the Grizzlies, making a steal, two free throws and a three-pointer in the final two minutes.
The game was tied at 87-87 with 5:42 remaining after Charlotte's Brevin Knight sank a jumper - part of his tally of 17 points and 16 assists - but Gasol responded with a free throw and rolling hook to give Memphis the lead for good.
Gerald Wallace scored 25 points, Kareem Rush added 21 off the bench and Slovenia's Primoz Brezec collected 13 for the Bobcats.
Turkey's Hedo Turkoglu led the Orlando Magic to a 108-101 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
Turkoglu had 21 points, while Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson added 15 each in the win.
Orlando, while out of serious play-off contention, are improving considerably and have now won seven of their last 10.
One reason for the improvement has been the acquisition of Serbia & Montenegro international Darko Milicic from Detroit. The 7ft forward scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds off the bench.
Puerto Rico guard Carlos Arroyo, who arrived in the same trade, was held to six points.
Al Harrington scored 20 points and Joe Johnson added 19 for the Hawks.
Allen Iverson and Chris Webber combined for 50 points but got precious little help from their Philadelphia team-mates in a 92-79 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Iverson led the 76ers with 26 points while Webber added 24, but a more balanced attack led the Pacers to victory.
Stephen Jackson scored 23 points and Serbia & Montenegro's Peja Stojakovic added 18 for Indiana, who also got 17 points and 12 rebounds off the bench from rookie Danny Granger.
The Toronto Raptors wasted an outstanding effort from rookie Charlie Villanueva in a 125-116 overtime loss to Milwaukee.
Villanueva exploded for 48 points but it was not enough as Michael Redd lifted the Bucks to victory.
Redd scored eight of his 35 points in the extra period, and got help as reserve Joe Smith scored 19 points and Charlie Bell added 18 and 11 assists.
Ray Allen scored 20 of his 33 points in the second half as the Seattle SuperSonics rallied for a surprise 106-102 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
Allen's haul included the go-ahead three-pointer with 5.4 seconds left.
Tim Duncan bounced back from his lowest-score of the season to collect 28 points and 10 rebounds, but it was not enough for the Spurs, who relinquished an 11 point third-quarter lead.
Argentina's Manu Ginobili scored 17 points for the Spurs, who also got 17 and 12 assists from France's Tony Parker.
Parker's international team-mate Johan Petro had six points and six rebounds for Seattle.
Luol Deng led the Chicago Bulls to a 101-97 victory over the Boston Celtics, scoring 20 points to cancel out 24 from Boston's Paul Pierce.
Argentina's Andres Nocioni had 12 points for Chicago, one of six Bulls in double figures.
Kobe Bryant led the Los Angeles Lakers with 30 points in their 105-94 win over the New Orleans Saints.
The Minnesota Timberwolves almost squandered a big lead but hung on for a 98-94 win over the New York Knicks, the Los Angeles Clippers won in Portland, beating the Trail Blazers 97-83, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Sacramento Kings 90-83.
PA Sport