USA - Hawks grabbed victory

NEW YORK (NBA) - Georgia international Zaza Pachulia was in inspired form as the Atlanta Hawks snapped a six-game losing streak with a 100-97 victory against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.

The center poured in a career-high 27 points and pulled down 12 rebounds as the Hawks grabbed victory despite the absence of injured All-Star Joe Johnson from their line-up.

Johnson suffered a right calf contusion after running into team-mate Esteban Batista during Monday's loss at Miami.

Anthony Johnson, starting in the backcourt for his injured namesake, finished with 19 points, including nine during a 21-7 run over the last seven minutes of the third quarter.

Gilbert Arenas finished the game with 28 points to lead Washington.

In Michigan, superstar LeBron James scored 41 points to lead four starters in double figures as the Cleveland Cavaliers posted a 101-97 overtime triumph over the Detroit Pistons.

Drew Gooden collected 22 points and 10 rebounds and Zydrunas Ilgauskas chipped in 14 and 10 for Cleveland, which picked up its first win against Detroit in six games.

James also connected on 17-of-31 shots, handed out eight assists and also had seven rebounds and three steals.

Richard Hamilton scored 29 points and Chris Webber added 20 and 11 rebounds for the Pistons, who shot 43% (30-of-69) from the floor and have lost three of their last four games.

Tracy McGrady scored 25 points to lead five starters in double figures as the Houston Rockets humbled the Boston Celtics 111-80.

Houston put on a three-point shooting clinic, hitting 15-of-28 from the arc to avenge a 77-72 home loss to Boston on March 7.

McGrady and center Yao Ming sat out the earlier contest with injuries, helping the Celtics end a 12-game losing streak and igniting the four-game roll.

With both Houston superstars in the line-up Wednesday, there was little chance of a repeat performance.

Yao, in just his second game back since missing nearly three months with a fracture below his right knee, had 11 points and five rebounds after getting in foul trouble.

Chuck Hayes helped pick up the slack with 14 points and 11 boards.

Paul Pierce and Al Jefferson scored 20 points apiece for the Celtics.

Charlie Villanueva scored a season-high 26 points and Andrew Bogut added 22 to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 110-90 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Kobe Bryant was suspended for the game due to a stiff arm he landed to the face of Minnesota guard Marko Jaric, who was attempting to block his shot in the
Lakers' 117-107 double-overtime loss Tuesday.

Without Bryant controlling the perimeter, the Bucks shot 10-of-21 from beyond the arc and a season-high 60% (44-of-74) from the field.
Villanueva and Bogut each shot 10-of-12.

Maurice Evans led the Lakers with 22 points and Brian Cook added 20.

Andre Iguodala recorded his third triple-double of the season and the Philadelphia 76ers extended their season-high winning streak to five games with a 92-89 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics.

Pretty much left for dead after trading Allen Iverson, Philadelphia has instead surged, winning five straight.
Iguodala scored 25 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and had 10 assists.

Ray Allen scored 29 points for Seattle, which dropped to 7-23 on the road this season, but had a tough shooting night and came up empty three times down the stretch.

Juan Dixon, making his second consecutive start in place of an injured Anthony Parker, scored 17 points as the Toronto Raptors fixed a leaky defense for at least one night in a 94-87 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

Chris Bosh had 19 points and nine rebounds and rookie Andrea Bargnani added 18 points for Toronto.
Mike Miller scored 19 points and Rudy Gay added 17 and a career-high 11 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who have lost five straight and dropped to 4-27 on the road.

With Jason Kapono sidelined, Eddie Jones was the sharpshooter for the Miami Heat.

Playing without the sweet-shooting Kapono, Jones scored 14 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter as the Heat saw off the Chicago Bulls with a thorough 103-70
victory.

Shaquille O'Neal scored 24 points and fell one rebound and two assists shy of a triple-double for Miami, which has won five of its last six games.

Ben Gordon scored just 14 on 6-of-18 shooting for Chicago, which shot just 35% (26-of-74).

The Indiana Pacers lost forward Jermaine O'Neal to injury midway through their 94-72 loss to the Utah Jazz.

The sliding Pacers (29-31) lost their seventh straight game and are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

Deron Williams led a balanced attack with 17 points as the Jazz extended their winning streak to five games while the Pacers completed an 0-4 road trip.

Carlos Boozer scored all 14 of his points in the first half and added 16 rebounds and four assists and reserve Matt Harpring had 14 points for the Jazz.

Troy Murphy scored 15 points and Danny Granger and Darrell Armstrong added 12 apiece for the Pacers.

Lightning-quick Leandro Barbosa did most of his damage standing still on Wednesday.

Barbosa scored a career-high 32 points, including seven three-pointers, and Steve Nash had 24 points and 11 assists as the Phoenix Suns enjoyed hot shooting en route to a 115-106 overtime victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.

Shawn Marion had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Suns, who played most of the second half and the extra session without Amare Stoudemire.

The All-Star forward was ejected early in the third quarter after picking up his second technical for throwing the ball at Bobcats guard Matt Carroll.

Gerald Wallace collected 22 points and 15 rebounds for the Bobcats, who shot 44% (42-of-95).

Finally, Baron Davis collected 22 points and nine rebounds as the Warriors coasted to a 110-96 victory over the undermanned Denver Nuggets, who were without father-in-waiting Carmelo Anthony.

Al Harrington scored 20 points and Stephen Jackson added 18 and eight assists for the Warriors.

Jamie Strickland
FIBA