USA - Nachbar fires as Nets down Hawks

NEW YORK (NBA) - In New Jersey on Wednesday night, Bostjan Nachbar decided to assist All-Star team-mate Vince Carter with some of the scoring load.

Slovenia international Nachbar scored 26 points off the bench and Carter chipped in 24 as the Nets coasted to a 101-86 victory over the reeling Atlanta Hawks, who have lost seven straight.

Salim Stoudamire netted 19 points off the bench and Zaza Pachulia chipped 18 in for Atlanta, which shot 40% (33-of-81) from the floor.

In Orlando, Chris Bosh scored 28 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Toronto Raptors to a 111-108 victory over the Magic.

Hedo Turkoglu scored a career-high 37 points - including six three-pointers - for the Magic, who had forward Darko Milicic ejected with 3:39 left in the third quarter for arguing.

Gerald Wallace once again had no problem taking advantage of the Washington Wizards' untimely injuries.

Wallace had 27 points and 12 rebounds as the Charlotte Bobcats beat the Wizards for the second time in as many days with a 108-100 victory.

Rookie Walter Herrmann scored 20 points and Raymond Felton added 19 for the Bobcats (30-46), who recorded their first 30-win campaign since entering the league in 2004.

While Wallace also had eight assists to fall two shy of the first triple-double in franchise history, the main story was the injury to Washington's Gilbert Arenas.

The third-best scorer in the league at 28.8 points, Arenas suffered a left knee injury after Wallace crashed into him late in the first quarter scoring on a reverse lay-up. Arenas limped off the court under his own power and did not return after heading to the locker room. 

He is scheduled to have an MRI on Thursday.

Andre Miller nailed a huge jumper with eight seconds left to preserve a tenuous lead as the Philadelphia 76ers held on for a dramatic 92-90 victory over the sliding New York Knicks.

Andre Iguodala scored 18 points for the 76ers, who used a decisive 21-5 run to secure the victory.

The spurt sent the Knicks (31-43) to their ninth loss in their last 11 games. 

Kirk Hinrich scored 29 points and Luol Deng had 22 and nine rebounds as the Bulls rolled to a 106-88 triumph over the conference-leading Detroit Pistons.

With the win, Chicago (45-31) pulled within one-half game of the idle Cleveland Cavaliers (45-30) for second place in the Eastern Conference with six games to go.

Hinrich made 10-of-17 shots, including four of six from three-point range to post his third straight game with at least 20 points.

He also handed out eight assists. Battling foul trouble, Bulls leading scorer Ben Gordon matched a season low with two points in 11 minutes.

Chauncey Billups scored 17 points and Rasheed Wallace added 16 despite an injured index finger for the Pistons (48-27), whose lead in the Central Division over Cleveland was trimmed to three games.

Reserves Bobby Jackson and Rasual Butler combined for all the points in a decisive run to start overtime as the New Orleans Hornets overcame injuries to three starters to post a 101-92 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics.

Chris Paul, Desmond Mason and Tyson Chandler all left the contest with injuries for the Hornets. 

Rashard Lewis scored 27 points and grabbed rebounds in a losing cause for the Sonics, who have dropped three straight.

In a game with little star power, the smallest guy on the floor stepped up.

Earl Boykins scored 12 of his 32 points in the third quarter as the Milwaukee Bucks snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 98-89 victory over the limping Boston Celtics.

Charlie Bell had 25 points and Ruben Patterson added 21 and 12 rebounds for the Bucks, who were playing without leading scorers Michael Redd and Mo Williams.

Rookie Rajon Rondo scored 16 points and Allan Ray and Kevinn Pinkney added 15 each for the Celtics, who shot 37% (34-of-91).

In Portland, the Utah Jazz played like they had underestimated rookie Brandon Roy and the undermanned Portland Trail Blazers.

Roy scored a season-high 29 points and Travis Outlaw tied a career best with 22 as the Trail Blazers used a stellar third quarter en route to a 94-89 victory over the Jazz.

Stephen Jackson hit a three-pointer with just over two minutes remaining as the Warriors held off a late rally by the Houston Rockets to post a 110-99 victory for their third straight win.

Jason Richardson scored 27 points and Baron Davis added 25 for Golden State (36-39), which continued its quest for its first play-off berth since 1994.

The Warriors were helped by the absence of Houston star Tracy McGrady, who left the game in the first quarter due to a stiff lower back and did not return.

In all, McGrady appeared in six minutes, missing all three of his shots from the field.

With coach George Karl back in the fold, the Denver Nuggets were firing on all cylinders.

Carmelo Anthony scored 31 points and Nene added a career-high 28 and 12 rebounds as the Nuggets used a high-powered attack en route to a 120-115 victory over the sliding Sacramento Kings.

Ron Artest scored 32 points for the Kings (30-44), who have lost 12 of their last 14 games to slide out of play-off contention - seven games behind the Clippers (37-37) for the West's final play-off spot.

Finally, the Los Angeles Clippers finally broke through against their Tinseltown rivals.

Corey Maggette scored 22 points and Cuttino Mobley chipped in 18 and seven assists as the Clippers posted a 90-82 triumph over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Chris Kaman had 17 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks and Elton Brand added 12, 10 and three for the Clippers (37-37).

Jamie Strickland
FIBA