USA - Morrison makes bid for international future

SAN ANTONIO (NBA) - Rookie Adam Morrison showed just why he is still in USA Basketball’s thinking for the 2008 Olympics as he led the Charlotte Bobcats to victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

Morrison trained with Team USA in the build-up to the FIBA World Championship this summer while still officially a college player, but did not make the final cut to go to Japan.

Now, after leaving Gonzaga University early to become the third overall pick in this year’s NBA draft, Morrison is making a strong case to be on the plane to China in two years’ time.

He has already moved into the Bobcats starting line-up, and more than justified his inclusion with a 27-point haul in the Bobcats’ 95-92 overtime win against the Spurs.

Known for his ability to create his own shot, Morrison showed San Antonio’s Team USA defensive specialist Bruce Bowen his vast array, shooting 12 of 23 from the floor.

"That's how I played in college. I wasn't really a standing shooter," Morrison said. "My team-mates are starting to trust me, and coach (Bernie Bickerstaff) trusts me to put it on the floor and get to the line and make stuff happen."

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was impressed with Morrison's toughness.

"He's a basketball junkie. He understands how to play the game," Popovich said. "He's a scoring machine. He knows what he has to do. He's a fantastic young talent."

Another of the Bobcats’ impressive young talents, Emeka Okafor, added 19 points and Raymond Felton had 17 in the win.

Okafor shot nine of 18, including a follow shot on Felton's missed free throw with 18 seconds left in overtime to make it 95-89 and seal the victory. He finished with nine rebounds and five blocks.

Trailing, 83-75, with 2:50 remaining in regulation, the Spurs went on an 8-0 run and tied the game on two free throws by Argentina’s Manu Ginobili with 70 seconds left. However, they did not carry the momentum into the extra period.

Tony Parker scored 25 points and Tim Duncan added 24 for the Spurs, who shot just 38% (36 of 96), including two of 17 from the arc, in having their five-game winning streak stopped.

One man already firmly entrenched in the Team USA set up is LeBron James, and he had a customary big night as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Portland Trail Blazers.

James poured in 32 points to cancel out another big game from Portland’s Zach Randolph in a 100-87 Cleveland win.

James got support from Drew Gooden (17) and Eric Snow (13), although the struggles of Lithuania center Zydraunas Ilgauskas continued as he was held to seven points.

This week, Ilgauskas has admitted he was finding it tough to adapt to coach Mike Brown’s new motion offence.

"A big guy is not like LeBron (James)," he said in the Chronicle-Telegram.

"You can’t turn it on at any time. You’ve got to get in the game, get the ball and get in the flow.

"I just have to work, I guess."

Serbia international Sasha Pavlovic has fared better in the new system, and he chipped in with eight points off the bench.

Portland wasted 26 points from the hot-shooting Randolph.

Keyon Dooling scored a career-high 25 points and Turkey’s Hedo Turkoglu added 18 as the Orlando Magic posted their 14th consecutive win over the Denver Nuggets at home, 108-99.

Grant Hill added 15 points and Puerto Rico guard Carlos Arroyo had 14 off the bench.

Denver wasted 34 points from Team USA forward Carmelo Anthony.

Paul Pierce scored 14 of his 32 points in the decisive third quarter as the Boston Celtics pulled away for an easy 114-88 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

Wally Szczerbiak scored 20 points and Ryan Gomes had 12 and 12 rebounds for Boston, who recorded only their second win in a tough start to the season.

Al Harrington scored 16 of his 23 points in the first half for Indiana, who cooled off after the interval.

Jermaine O’Neal was held to just 12 points on three of 14 shooting.

The Detroit Pistons’ struggles continued as they went down 100-99 at home to the New Orleans Hornets to slip to 3-5.

Team USA’s Chris Paul had 20 points and 13 assists for New Orleans, while Peja Stojokovic - coming off a career 42-point night on Tuesday - had 14.

Chauncey Billups led Detroit with 29 points.

Jason Kidd scored a season-high 25 points and handed out 11 assists to lead the New Jersey Nets to a 100-87 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.

The contest featured the NBA's top-two scorers in Milwaukee’s Michael Redd and New Jersey’s Vince Carter, who was a game-time decision with the flu.

But Kidd stole the spotlight, making nine of 14 shots and grabbing eight rebounds as he fell just short of his third triple-double of the season.

Redd scored 25 points on seven of 19 shooting for the Bucks, who trailed virtually the entire way. Carter scored a season-low 15 points.

Serbia’s Nenad Krstic added 22 points and Clifford Robinson 12 for New Jersey.

Milwaukee’s Australia center Andrew Bogut failed to register a point in 26 and a half minutes on the court.

Renaldo Balkman scored a season-high 18 points, Quentin Richardson nailed five three-pointers and the New York Knicks received a big effort from their bench in a 102-82 victory over the Washington Wizards.

David Lee collected 10 points and 15 rebounds for the Knicks, who won for the first time in four games at Madison Square Garden this season.

Richardson finished with 17 points and Stephon Marbury had 16.

Gilbert Arenas had 22 for the Wizards.

Mike Bibby scored a season-high 32 points and handed 10 assists as the Sacramento Kings beat the Memphis Grizzlies 115-111, while Allen Iverson had 28 points in the Philadelphia 76ers’ 96-90 win over the Seattle SuperSonics.

PA Sport