NBA Capsules
NEW YORK — Luol Deng scored a season-high 33 points in the Chicago Bulls’ third victory over New York this season, a 108-101 win Friday that sent the Knicks to their season-high third straight loss.
Topping the 29 points he scored here last month, Deng shot 13 of 18 from the field and also led the defensive effort that contained Carmelo Anthony in the decisive first half of his return from a one-game suspension.
Article continues after this advertisementCarlos Boozer added 17 points for the Bulls, whose offense won’t be at full strength until Derrick Rose is back from knee surgery, yet they still shot 57 percent.
Anthony ended up with 39 points for the Knicks, who were roughed up again a night after losing in Indiana.
HAWKS 103, JAZZ 95
Article continues after this advertisementATLANTA — Devin Harris scored a season-high 24 points and Atlanta rallied from 15 points down in the second half.
Randy Foye had 25 points to lead Utah, which had won four of five but was denied its first back-to-back road wins of the season. Al Jefferson had 23 points and 10 rebounds and Paul Milsap had 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Jazz.
The Hawks, who trailed 75-60 in the third quarter, played from behind before taking their first lead of the second half on consecutive baskets by Al Horford. The second basket by Horford, set up by Josh Smith’s pass, gave Atlanta a 94-92 lead with 2:44 remaining.
Jefferson answered with a tying basket before Ivan Johnson scored on a fast break to give the lead back to Atlanta. Utah’s Jamaal Tinsley made one of two free throws to leave the Hawks’ lead at 96-95. Josh Smith’s short jumper and Lou Williams’ 3-pointer padded the lead.
HORNETS 104, TIMBERWOLVES 92
NEW ORLEANS — Greivis Vasquez had 18 points and 13 assists to lead New Orleans to its fourth straight win.
Eric Gordon added 16 points, Ryan Anderson had 15, Jason Smith 14, Al-Farouz Aminu 12 and Roger Mason 10 for the Hornets, who have won five out of six with Gordon in the starting lineup.
Luke Ridnour scored 20 points to lead a balanced Timberwolves offense. Nikola Pekovic added 18 points, Andrei Kirilenko 17, Dante Cunningham 12 and Alexey Shved 11.
New Orleans trailed 29-14 after the first quarter but outscored Minnesota 56-32 over the next two periods to take a 70-61 lead.
The Hornets hit the century mark for the first time since 113-102 loss to Minnesota on Dec. 14.
CELTICS 103, ROCKETS 91
BOSTON — Paul Pierce scored 16 of his 23 points in the second half and Kevin Garnett added 17 points and four blocks as Boston nearly blew a 17-point lead before pulling away late.
The Celtics extended their season-high winning streak to five games, but only after surviving a 12-0 run that pulled the Rockets within two points midway through the fourth quarter.
Rajon Rondo finished with 12 points and eight assists for the Celtics. Courtney Lee and Jared Sullinger scored 14 apiece and Sullinger also had 11 rebounds for his second straight double-double.
James Harden scored 24 and Chandler Parsons added 18 for Houston, which fell to 0-2 during a three-game road trip that concludes Saturday in Philadelphia.
NETS 99, SUNS 79
Joe Johnson scored 19 points and MarShon Brooks added 17 points off the bench as Brooklyn won its fifth straight.
The Nets have won three straight games by 20 or more points for the first time in the team’s NBA history.
Deron Williams added 14 points and Andray Blatche chipped in 15 points and eight rebounds as the Nets ended a five game home losing streak against Phoenix.
Jared Dudley led the Suns with 18 points and Shannon Brown had 15 off the bench as Phoenix lost its fifth straight and for the 11th time in 12 games.
RAPTORS 99, BOBCATS 78
TORONTO — Alan Anderson scored 16 points against his former team, Jose Calderon had 15 and Toronto won for the 10th time in 13 games.
Amir Johnson had 13 points and eight rebounds while Ed Davis had 12 points and eight boards for the Raptors, who led by as many as 24. Anderson had four of Toronto’s 12 3-pointers, while Calderon and Kyle Lowry each made three.
Starting for the second straight game, Toronto’s Landry Fields matched his season high with 11 rebounds.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kemba Walker and Ben Gordon each scored 12 points as Charlotte’s modest streak of two straight road victories came to an end.
PISTONS 103, BUCKS 87
MILWAUKEE — Greg Monroe had 26 points and 11 rebounds, Brandon Knight scored 20 points, and Detroit handed Milwaukee interim coach Jim Boylan his first loss.
Detroit led 74-60 going into the fourth quarter and squashed any hope of a Bucks comeback when Monroe scored on a hook shot, layup and dunk and Knight added a 3 as the lead grew to 83-62 with 9:57 to play.
Rodney Stuckey’s 3 gave the Pistons another 21-point lead with 2:48 to go and the Bucks didn’t get closer than 14 again.
Brandon Jennings and Beno Udrih had 15 points for Milwaukee.
Boylan, who took over for the fired Scott Skiles earlier this week, had won his first two games — against Phoenix on Tuesday and Chicago on Wednesday.
GRIZZLIES 101, SPURS 98, OT
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Rudy Gay hit a pullup jumper from 14 feet with 27.8 seconds left, and Memphis held off San Antonio in overtime for its fourth straight victory and the first over its Southwest Division rival since the 2011 playoffs.
Gay led Memphis with 23 points, and Mike Conley had 21 points and five assists
San Antonio had won five straight in the series since the Grizzlies upset the then-No. 1 seed in the opening round in 2011. The Spurs also had a 2½-game divisional lead on Memphis coming into this game — with the Grizzlies having played five fewer games — and the teams played at postseason intensity despite the calendar.
Tony Parker, who finished with 30 points for the Spurs, forced overtime, beating the buzzer with a 27-footer tying it at 95. He also opened the extra period with a 3 that turned out to be the Spurs’ only bucket as San Antonio went 1 of 10 from the floor. Manu Ginobili missed a long 3 just before the buzzer.