The 2013-14 Basketball Season Is Here

Five NBA offenses on the rise in 2013-14

By Ben Golliver
CNNSI.com

Training camp is just around the corner, which means players will soon be touting their weight loss and new muscles, as their coaches promise to focus on defense and pick up the pace. Many of those preseason goals and declarations get tossed aside or exposed within a few weeks after opening night, but we shouldn’t be so cynical that we miss out on the possibility of legitimate year-to-year improvement.

Here’s a rundown of five teams — some contenders, some simply fighting for playoff spots — that should make meaningful strides on offense this season.


Chicago Bulls: What was the cost of losing Derrick Rose last season? The Bulls’ offensive efficiency plunged from No. 5 in 2011-12 to No. 24 in 2012-13, a drastic decline that can really only be compared to that of the Suns (who fell from No. 8 to No. 29 after trading Steve Nash) and the Magic (who slipped from No. 14 to No. 27 after trading Dwight Howard). Chicago plowed forward in Rose’s absence thanks to its ever-stout defense and occasional moments of heroism from the likes of Nate Robinson and Marco Belinelli, all of which helped the Bulls squeeze the most out of their lost season. There’s just no replacing a superstar, especially one like Rose, whose very presence defines Chicago’s attack (he led the Bulls in scoring and assists in 2010, 2011 and 2012) and whose Player Efficiency Rating (PER) and Offensive Win Shares ranked in the top 10 in the NBA the last time he suited up.

Whether you’re ready to buy into the upbeat reports about Rose’s health and physique or you’d rather wait to see him in regular-season action before drawing any conclusions, there’s little doubt that Rose’s return should transform Chicago’s offense back into a much more effective outfit. The addition of Mike Dunleavy, a jack-of-all-trades offensive weapon, should help, too. One of the summer’s best under-the-radar signings, Dunleavy can stroke it from deep (42.8 percent for the Bucks last season) and is accustomed to contributing without dominating the rock. Throw in some anticipated Year 3 growth from 23-year-old forward Jimmy Butler as a cherry on top, and last year’s bleakness — Chicago failed to score 84 points in 16 games — should be a thing of the past.


Indiana Pacers: The 2013 conference finals were the wasteland where imbalanced teams went to die. Miami and San Antonio, teams that ranked in the top seven on both sides of the ball, dispatched Indiana and Memphis, teams that placed No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, on defense but couldn’t even muster league-average offenses. In the Pacers’ case, there were some obvious explanations: 2011-12 leading scorer Danny Granger was unexpectedly lost for most of the season with a knee injury and Indiana’s bench unit was among the worst in the league. The only reserve unit to score less than Indiana’s (24.1 points per game) was Portland’s, and the Pacers’ subs finished last in field-goal percentage (39.3 percent).

It goes without saying that the Pacers will still butter their bread on the defensive end, but there are reasons for optimism on offense. Granger is expected to return, and while his exact role is still to be determined, he should be able to add a scoring punch from the bench, at the very least. Even though swapping in C.J. Watson for D.J. Augustin at the backup point guard position lacks glamour, it’s still a clear upgrade, as Watson sports better numbers (standard and advanced) across the board and is generally a more stable option. It’s certainly debatable whether Luis Scola was worth a first-round pick in trade at this point in his career, but the Argentine big man is a proven low-post option whose craftiness in the basket area and dependable mid-range jumper should help keep the Pacers’ bench afloat if things start trending toward ugly.

Are these factors enough to get Indiana’s offense into the league’s upper echelon? Probably not, but they’re a good start. To climb higher, Indiana will need Roy Hibbert to play like the guy he was after the All-Star break (15.7 points on 51 percent shooting), as opposed to the slow-starting center who couldn’t buy a bucket as he battled a hand injury before the break (10 points on 41 percent shooting), and it’ll need the newly maxed Paul George to make an efficiency leap. George enjoyed a career year in 2012-13, but his numbers compare very unfavorably with the age-22 seasons posted by the league’s cream of-the-crop scoring wings (LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony).


Minnesota Timberwolves: Much like the Bulls, the Timberwolves will be welcoming back their franchise player to full health following a lost year. Kevin Love missed most of last season due to hand injuries incurred while doing knuckle push-ups, and the shooting touch he displayed in his two All-Star seasons was (not surprisingly) nowhere to be found when he did take the court. Even though Minnesota has never produced even an above-average offense during the Love era, it’s not for lack of Love’s trying: He was in the top five in PER and Offensive Win Shares in both 2011 and 2012.

Without Love — and with a recovering Ricky Rubio — Minnesota’s offense ranked No. 25 last season, in large part because it was the worst three-point-shooting team by a country mile. Love’s return should help that, as should the re-signing of Chase Budinger, who was injured for most of 2012-13, and the addition of Kevin Martin, who ranked in the top 10 in three-point percentage and true shooting percentage last year.

During Rick Adelman’s four seasons in Houston, the Rockets’ offense generally hovered around league average, although it leaped to No. 6 in 2011, thanks in large part to a career year from Martin. Is the 30-year-old guard capable of reaching those heights again? That remains to be seen, but the Love/Martin/Rubio combination — plus the re-signed Nikola Pekovic, who will hold down the paint — should be enough to help Minnesota significantly improve its offensive efficiency. Timberwolves president Flip Saunders didn’t exactly spend his dollars in the most economical and cost-efficient fashion this summer, but he did at least put them toward areas of real need.


Portland Trail Blazers: The big question in the Rose City is whether Portland will be able to stop anybody. The Blazers ranked No. 26 on defense last year, sacrificing points left and right thanks to their weak interior. The addition of Robin Lopez — acquired in a trade with the Pelicans — should help somewhat, but he’s not exactly an elite stopper. The state of the union on the other side of the ball is much more promising: The Blazers had a league-average offense last year despite tanking down the stretch (13 straight losses to close the season) and possessing the league’s least potent bench.

Most of the credit goes to All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge and Rookie of the Year point guard Damian Lillard, who made for a reliable and formidable inside/outside combination. Three of Blazers GM Neil Olshey’s major summer additions — Mo Williams, Dorell Wright and lottery pick C.J. McCollum — look like natural fits in coach Terry Stotts’ three-happy, ball-movement offense, as they are all willing and capable shooters. Indeed, Portland ranked No. 4 in three-point attempts last year, a ranking that should only rise in 2013-14, as Lillard, Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum and the trio of new guys will all enjoy a permanent green light.

As Lillard has hinted, his individual efficiency and shooting numbers should improve thanks to a slightly lighter load than last year, and the same can be said for both Matthews and Batum, who dealt with injury issues under the strain of career-high playing time numbers in 2012-13. There are enough weapons on hand for the Blazers to climb into the league’s top-10 offenses, especially if Aldridge and Lillard continue to enjoy good health.


Washington Wizards: File this one under: “There’s nowhere to go but up.” Washington ranked last in offense in 2012-13, and it played some of the ugliest basketball that the NBA has seen in recent memory. Even though the Wizards played at a league-average pace, they failed to crack 90 points in 32 games, going 5-27. The loss of John Wall to a serious, preseason knee injury left a gruesome sight in its wake: terrible ball movement, turnovers and so, so many low-percentage, ill-advised shots.

The Wizards’ inclusion on this list has less to do with Washington’s new pieces (it was a quiet summer) and everything to do with Wall’s return to health (he played so well during the second half of the season that he was rewarded with a five-year, $80 million extension). Wall’s PER has shown steady improvement during his three-year career, and he placed among the league’s best point guards last year in that stat. He also ranked in the top 10 with eight assists per game, the second straight year he’s accomplished that feat. As for impact, it couldn’t be clearer: The Wizards’ offensive rating rose from 94.8 when he was off the court (last in the league by a wide margin) to 102.1 when he was on the court (slightly below average).

Wall’s supporting cast is definitely lacking in A-list talent — at least for now, though Bradley Beal looks like a star in the making — but it’s a fairly safe bet that a full season from its franchise point guard should have Washington moving out of the league’s offensive basement.

Omer Asik, Danny Granger headline prime trade targets for the 2013-14 season

By Rob Mahoney
CNNSI.com

The offseason offered all 30 NBA clubs a chance to retool and revamp, but the work of team building is never truly finished. There’s always some measure of tinkering left to be done, and from that the possibility comes the league’s ever-active trade market. Different needs and agendas breed all kinds of fascinating trade scenarios, the vast majority of which never come to fruition. But some players inevitably do get dealt during the season, be they marginal reserves or franchise-altering stars.

Below are a host of players from all across that spectrum, each a compelling 2013-14 trade candidate.

Omer Asik, Houston Rockets

Asik, who is at once both valuable and expendable, is the most immediately visible trade chip on the board. He’s nearing the point in his relationship with the Rockets at which his external worth trumps his internal merit. The signing of center Dwight Howard puts an artificial cap on how much Houston can really play the 7-foot Asik, 27, making him a pricey backup or ill-fitting complement. Given how active the Rockets’ front office typically is on the trade scene, it would be surprising if at least a handful of potential trades involving Asik weren’t seriously discussed by this season’s deadline.

Holdover veterans, Boston Celtics

With the Celtics’ evident aim to land in the lottery, Boston has little use for veteran contributors. Power forward Brandon Bass is no longer a rotation big man on a playoff team, but a remnant of a core with entirely different aspirations. Shooting guard Courtney Lee could be good rotation filler, but he comes at a mid-level price and would make more sense on a more complete team. Power forward Kris Humphries, a Celtic solely for salary-matching reasons (to complete the deal that sent Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn), could be had as an expiring contract if he draws much interest. The same goes for Gerald Wallace, though even hypothetically interested suitors would likely be deterred by the three years and $30.3 million remaining on the 31-year-old small forward’s deal.

Danny Granger, Indiana Pacers

Indiana’s success last season has put Granger on the ropes, as the Pacers now have the offensive balance and defensive brilliance to get by without him. The former All-Star forward, 30, will be a helpful scorer this season all the same, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see Granger moved for a more affordable, long-term piece, particularly if Lance Stephenson continues to impress.

Luol Deng, Chicago Bulls

Though the apple of coach Tom Thibodeau’s eye, Deng might soon become a luxury that the Bulls — by way of the 28-year-old small forward’s impending free agency and the team’s self-imposed luxury tax concerns — can no longer afford. Those factors, at the very least, open up dialogue for potential alternatives, particularly with the 23-year-old Bull Jimmy Butler capable of mimicking much of what Deng offers defensively. Finding a deal that could help Chicago subsist without taking on equivalent long-term salary would still be a challenge, but it’s an opportunity to explore after the first stages of Deng’s negotiations with the Bulls went sour.

Thaddeus Young, Philadelphia 76ers

Young stands as the best player — by far — in Philadelphia’s basketball wasteland. Trading the 25-year-old forward would only bring the Sixers’ deconstruction to its natural end. He’s a talented defender who could draw a solid return via trade, which makes sense for a Philadelphia team still several years away from beginning its ascent. As helpful as it would be to have Young around to lead by example, he’d likely be gone by the time the Sixers finally come around — be it when his contract expires in 2016 or after an earlier opt-out in 2015. There’s time, clearly, to find the right deal for Young, but serving out his tenure in Philadelphia seems mostly a formality at this point.

Derrick Williams, Minnesota Timberwolves

A slimmed-down Williams is slotted to play more on the wing this season, but he’ll be a trade-rumor regular as long as he continues to underwhelm in Minnesota. Williams, 22, the No. 2 pick in the 2011 draft, is still a useful player and very obviously talented. He simply hasn’t proved to be a very natural fit on the Wolves roster’ yet and could conceivably be moved for a more straightforward wing.

Jameer Nelson, Orlando Magic

Orlando’s roster teardown is well underway, but Nelson remains as a vestige of the Howard era. The 31-year-old point guard would do much more good for a more competitive team, and with just a quarter of his salary guaranteed next season, he could be an interesting trade chip.

Marcin Gortat, Phoenix Suns

Trading the 29-year-old Gortat — who is playing out the final year of a five-year, $34 million contract — at some point this season is the most likely way that the Suns can derive value from his now-inevitable exit. Phoenix has already moved on; if the trading of veterans Steve Nash and Jared Dudley weren’t enough of an omen for Gortat’s future with the franchise, the drafting of fellow center Alex Len with the fifth pick surely would be. It’s probably best to keep a bag packed and ready to go, Marcin.

Jimmer Fredette, Sacramento Kings

Fredette showed genuine improvement in his second season, but he could be the odd man out in Sacramento’s backcourt crunch. Greivis Vasquez and Isaiah Thomas will share the bulk of the minutes at the point, with undrafted rookie Ray McCallum qualified to serve as an alternate. At shooting guard, Sacramento will already be juggling the minutes of Marcus Thornton, John Salmons and No. 7 pick Ben McLemore, to say nothing of the natural challenges that could come in slotting Fredette to defend bigger, stronger opponents. Despite his limitations, the 24-year-old Fredette is a good enough shooter to intrigue some potential trade partner. He could be used to swing a deal that would streamline Sacramento’s rotation.

Iman Shumpert, New York Knicks

Shumpert’s inclusion on this list is simply and unfortunately linked to the fact that the Knicks are likely to be the fifth-best team in the Eastern Conference this season. If new general manager Steve Mills isn’t satisfied with that standing, Shumpert could be the first to go — if only because he’s one of the few coveted, tradeable assets on New York’s roster.

Brandon Rush, Utah Jazz

Rush, 28 is a quality 3-and-D type on an affordable deal ($4 million) who suffered the unfortunate end of a salary dump. As part of their acquisition of Andre Iguodala on a four-year, $48 million deal, the Warriors sent Rush (along with Richard Jefferson and Andris Biedrins) to the rebuilding Jazz — a fun, young team, but one slated to do rather poorly this season. As a strict role player on an expiring contract, Rush can’t offer the Jazz all that much short- or long-term value. That opens the door for a potential trade, particularly with the Jazz in the market to stockpile the raw materials necessary to carry out their rebuild.

Redundant big men, Sacramento Kings

With the signing of Carl Landry this summer, Sacramento has four big men (Landry, Jason Thompson, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes) competing for playing time alongside center DeMarcus Cousins. All are fine players, but a roster in such disarray could do with a little less clutter.


Longer shots

While the above players have a decent chance to be moved at some point this season, it’s also worth noting those trade candidates of more remote probability. Below are those players who might be discussed or rumored for a potential trade, but are more unlikely to be dealt for a variety of reasons.

Greg Monroe or Josh Smith, Detroit Pistons — It seems unlikely that the Pistons would give up on their supersized frontcourt so quickly, but the determination could be made in the next few seasons that either Monroe or Smith should be shopped to better stretch the team’s room under the cap.

Carlos Boozer, Chicago Bulls — Boozer will continue to get a ton of play in the trade machine, but his contract is so hefty (he’s still owed $32.1 million over two seasons) that it’s difficult to piece together a sensible deal.

Kendrick Perkins, Oklahoma City Thunder — The thought of the Thunder with a more functional starting center is dizzying, but Perkins will likely be saved by the fact that 1) he’s a tough sell at roughly $9 million a season, and 2) his presence on the floor isn’t as universally detrimental as is widely believed.

Evan Turner, Philadelphia 76ers — This could very well be Turner’s last season as a 76er, but it’s difficult to parse the market for so strange a player. Turner, 24, is a fine passer and rebounder, capable of initiating offense in spots and scoring a bit off the dribble. But he’s not a good enough shooter to play off the ball consistently or an effective enough playmaker to control it. Some teams might still value what the former No. 2 pick brings, but he’s difficult to market as a potential trade candidate.

Andre Miller, Denver Nuggets — Between George Karl’s firing, Nate Robinson’s signing and the more general youth movement in Denver, nothing much seems to be going Miller’s way.

David Lee, Golden State Warriors — Lee is a possible candidate for the Danny Granger treatment after being absent while his team climbed to new heights in the 2013 playoffs. That said, shipping out Lee might require a more-or-less full-time commitment to small ball, a leap in approach I wouldn’t expect coach Mark Jackson to make.

Glen Davis, Orlando Magic – If so inclined, Orlando GM Rob Hennigan could find a market for Davis (provided Big Baby is healthy after two foot surgeries) because enough teams need a quality reserve big man.

Jamal Crawford, Los Angeles Clippers — Upgrades on the wing and a glaring need for a rotation-caliber big put the Clippers in an interesting position, with Crawford as a potentially intriguing trade piece. Losing Crawford (on top of trading away Eric Bledsoe) would certainly strain L.A.’s ability to stretch its offensive efficiency to the second unit, but that could be an acceptable price if a solid, versatile big could potentially be acquired.

Goran Dragic, Phoenix Suns — This would be a rather quick punt on the Suns’ new backcourt, but the arrival of Eric Bledsoe at least opens up the possibility that the 27-year-old Dragic could be dealt.

DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors — Toronto’s project starting lineup worked rather well in limited minutes last season, but the pairing of DeRozan and Rudy Gay — two wings with similarly scoring-centric games — would seem to be a possible point of redundancy. If that turns out to be the case, either could theoretically be floated in potential deals, with DeRozan’s contract being the more plausibly tradeable.

Jason Richardson, Philadelphia 76ers – Prime trade fodder, if only he weren’t 32 years old and coming off a major knee surgery.

Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics — Boston seems content to rebuild around Rondo for the time being, but even he isn’t beyond trading with the Celtics looking for foundational pieces. If the right deal came along, I suspect Celtics GM Danny Ainge — who seems more open to trade possibilities than most — could be convinced.

NBA burning questions: Three-peats, comebacks and more

Ian Thomsen>INSIDE THE NBA
CNNSI.com


We won't get the answers to these questions until next spring, but we can still ask. Here's five burning questions heading into the 2013-14 NBA season:

1. Will the Heat three-peat?

If Dwyane Wade reverses a two-year trend of knee issues, then of course the Heat can survive another title run -- with survival being the key term. Miami is seeking a fourth straight NBA Finals, a goal last achieved by Larry Bird's Celtics of 1984-87. The assignment of playing into June will be tougher than ever for the Heat as all of their top rivals in the East -- the Bulls, Pacers and Nets -- have improved, while the Knicks lurk close behind thanks to Carmelo Anthony.

The Heat's path to the Finals is going to be difficult under any circumstances. They needed seven games last spring to overcome the enormous presence of Indiana's Roy Hibbert, who figures to have even more room inside if Danny Granger can stay healthy. The Nets' rotation will be filled with a half-dozen familiar All-Star faces, and even if they prove to be too old, they'll still create problems for Miami around the basket and out to the three-point line. The Bulls also have a physical front line to service the return of Derrick Rose, who intends to make good on his promise to be better than ever. Still, the guess here is that Miami will survive its East rivals, barely.

But then it really gets hard.

The West is certain to produce a legitimate contender. The most threatening team at first glance appears to be the Clippers, who look like the favorite to earn the top seed in the conference. But in the latter rounds it's going to be asking too much for Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan to emerge as the Nos. 2 and 3 leaders of a championship team. Consider the standard that will be expected of 24-year-old Griffin, who -- like team leader Chris Paul -- has never played beyond the second round. The list of No. 2 stars from recent championship teams includes Wade, Pau Gasol, Paul Pierce and Manu Ginobili. Can Griffin achieve that level of discipline and production in one year under coach Doc Rivers?

The Rockets and Warriors also look as if they'll need another meaningful year of playoff experience. The Spurs can return to the NBA Finals if everything breaks right, in the same way that it broke last year after Russell Westbrook's postseason knee injury eliminated the top-seeded Thunder in the second round. If the Thunder are healthy over the second half, however, this could be their breakthrough year.

Durant and Westbrook -- the best duo in the NBA -- will have the necessary experience and hunger to overcome the Clippers and Thunder, and they'll have the right blend of athleticism and depth to take advantage of Miami's fatigue.

Oklahoma City will put an end to Miami's three-peat hopes and the rest of the league will be left worrying how to stop the Thunder's sustainable young roster built to operate beneath the threshold of the luxury tax.


2. Will Brooklyn make good on its $189 million investment?

That's how much Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov is investing in this year's roster between his league-leading payroll plus $89 million in luxury taxes. It's as if he's trying to compete with the Yankees rather than the Heat.

The short answer is that the Nets are not built to win the championship, and that's too bad. It would be a tremendous story if their charismatic stars could rally together to beat the younger contenders. But there are too many younger teams better suited to withstand the long NBA schedule.

The Nets may seek inspiration from San Antonio, but the Spurs have remained relevant because they've worked in young athletic legs around Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili while Tony Parker has continued to push the tempo as often as possible. These Nets are not built to exude energy. They've surrounded Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry, all 36 or older. Their youngest superstar, 29-year-old Deron Williams, has been slowed by physical setbacks for a couple of years now.

They have little speed apart from Andrei Kirilenko, who has had problems staying healthy, missing 151 games over his last eight NBA seasons. Those who say the Nets have the depth to pace themselves through the regular season are being romantic. They're still going to be old at the end of the season, and their age is going to leave them vulnerable.


3. Which star will make the greatest comeback?

This is easy. Derrick Rose has raised his own expectations by predicting he will be more explosive and productive in all areas, and he is not the bragging type. You can expect him to make good on those promises.

This is shaping up to be a provocative year for Chicago, between persistent reports of coach Tom Thibodeau's frustrations, the constructive demands he makes of his players and the failure of negotiations for a Luol Deng contract extension. Rose has the ability to keep everyone focused on the team's objective by making the game easier for everyone on both ends. That gives the Bulls credible hope of upsetting Miami.

The other star likely to come back in a big way wears No. 24 and plays in Los Angeles (see below).


4. How will the draft and free agency shake out?

The latter half of that question revolves around James, and we won't know the answer until the postseason plays itself out.

If the Heat three-peat, Wade renews a level of healthy production and owner Micky Arison is willing to pay the repeater tax, then why would James leave Miami? At the very least he could postpone his decision to opt out in order to stay another year. If the roster breaks down, however, or if the prospect for future championships grows dim, then James cannot afford to stick around -- because a player who wants to be the greatest ever needs to max out these peak years of his prime by continuing to win championships.

The No. 2 free agent figures to be Carmelo Anthony, and the top-rated destination has been cited as the Lakers. But that's not likely to happen so long as their coach is Mike D'Antoni, based on the fallout of D'Antoni's frustrated partnership with Anthony in New York. More important is the business end of the deal: Why would Anthony leave the NBA's No. 1 market in order to make less money while serving as the No. 2 star behind Bryant?

Wade and Chris Bosh could opt out this summer too, as could Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph. Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki and Bryant will be free agents who won't be seeking to leave. Luol Deng, Pau Gasol and Danny Granger could turn out to be among the top unrestricted free agents if the Heat and Knicks remain intact.

As for the draft: Isn't all of the hype unfair to consensus No. 1 favorite Andrew Wiggins? He isn't going to complain about the talk that he is a franchise-changing star, but he may protest after his new NBA team expects him to become the next Durant. Wiggins should be allowed to establish his own level -- he will be excellent, and some team will be happy to have him. Maybe not as happy as the Thunder have been with Durant, but happy all the same.


5. Will the Lakers implode?

If so, it will begin at the epicenter of ownership, where Jeannie and Jim Buss clearly have not agreed over who should be coaching the team they inherited from their father. The question is whether D'Antoni can survive the year, and the guess here is that he will: This team is going to be the Pacific version of the 2010-11 Knicks, who got off to a strong start and built up the value of their role players high enough to enable a trade for Anthony at the deadline. A bunch of shooters will surround the playmaking Gasol, with Nash (in spite of limited minutes) joining with Steve Blake and Jordan Farmar to play in the flow. And then Kobe Bryant will join them, and with him the Lakers will return to the playoffs as D'Antoni earns consideration for coach of the year. To pick the Lakers to make the playoffs is to express faith in Bryant. His career has earned him that much.

Nets hand Heat first 2-game skid since January


NEW YORK (AP) Before they can think about beating Miami in the playoffs, the Brooklyn Nets had to show they could do it in a game.

By the time they ended 4 1/2 years of futility, the only losing streak belonged to Miami - for the first time in 10 months.

Paul Pierce and Joe Johnson scored 19 points each, and the Nets ended a 13-game skid against the Heat and sent the NBA champions to consecutive losses for the first time since January with a 101-100 victory Friday night.

''It was good that we got a taste of this type of atmosphere this early in the season to try to see where we're at,'' Pierce said. ''Miami, whenever they come into town, they're a measuring stick for everybody, so it was good for us to come out and get the win.''

Pierce and Johnson both hit two free throws in the final seconds as the Heat were trying to pull off a comeback. Instead, they fell to 1-2 and have dropped two in a row for the first time since Jan. 8 and 10.

The Heat got Dwyane Wade back after he missed Wednesday's loss in Philadelphia, and he scored 21 points. LeBron James led Miami with 26 points as the Heat again fell far behind and couldn't catch up.

''What you've done in the past doesn't mean you can make it happen in the present, so we've just got to have a little more sense of urgency,'' James said. ''It's not doomsday right now. We're good, but we understand what we need to fix and correct.''

The Nets ended a 13-game skid against the Heat with their first victory since March 20, 2009, before Miami's Big Three got together and when the Nets were still playing in East Rutherford, N.J. - two homes ago.

Deron Williams, who came to the Nets two years later, said he wasn't aware of the skid until seeing it on TV earlier Friday.

''You don't want to have those types of losing streaks to any franchise,'' he said, ''so it was definitely on our mind.''

Brooklyn, bigger and deeper, opened an 11-point lead after three quarters and kept the lead right around there until the final 2 minutes. Then Miami ran off 10 straight, cutting it to 96-94 with 18 seconds left after consecutive 3-pointers by Wade and Mario Chalmers.

James later nailed a 3-pointer from the corner to cut it to 99-98 with 4.7 seconds remaining before Johnson hit two free throws. Chris Bosh was fouled and after making the first appeared to try and miss the second, but it went in and the Heat couldn't commit another foul in time.

The Nets bounced back from a season-opening loss in Cleveland by winning in their second and final game without first-year coach Jason Kidd, suspended two games by the NBA after pleading guilty in a drunken driving case.

James heated up late for his 21st straight 20-point game against the Nets. Only Michael Jordan had a longer streak, with 39 in a row from 1984-95.

Miami had bounced back with a win after every loss since following a Jan. 8 defeat to Indiana with another loss two nights later in Portland. But the Nets seized control in the third quarter behind 11 points from Pierce, holding the Heat without a basket for nearly 6 minutes and building just enough of a lead.

''This ain't nothing new. We've dealt with this before. This story line continues,'' Wade said. ''At the end of the day, we want to play better. We would love to play better, obviously the start, the first and the third, but we had a chance to win the game. We have to find a way to pull it out.''

The Heat swept three games against the Nets last season by an average of 21 points, the series appearing more lopsided than ever.

Getting Kevin Garnett and Pierce from Boston should change that, as well as whatever pleasantries might have existed between the teams. Garnett said James should worry about the Heat and stay out of Celtics business last month after James made some critical comments about their departure from Boston, and James refused to answer any questions about the Nets before the game Friday, saying Garnett told him not to talk about other teams.

Brooklyn got eight points in 12 minutes from Andrei Kirilenko after he missed the opener with back spasms. Fellow newcomer Alan Anderson also had eight points, while Andray Blatche led the reserves with nine.

NOTES: Miami's longest winning streak against an opponent is 12 in a row over Charlotte. ... The crowd included Magic Johnson, David Beckham, Allen Iverson and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

76ers win again, beat Bulls


PHILADELPHIA (AP) Forget tanking.

Rookie Michael Carter-Williams and the Philadelphia 76ers can't lose.

Pegged in the preseason to be one of the league's worst teams, the Sixers continued their stunning start to the season, beating the Chicago Bulls 107-104 on Saturday night behind 26 points and 10 assists from Carter-Williams.

Evan Turner had 20 points and Spencer Hawes added 18 points and 11 rebounds for the supposedly rebuilding Sixers (3-0), who have already defeated the Washington Wizards and two-time defending champion Miami Heat to rise to first place in the Atlantic Division.

''We understand what everybody has said and written about us,'' first-year coach Brett Brown said. ''Our guys have put in the day-to-day stuff, which has always been our message. I'm lucky I've found a group that enjoys each other's company and they enjoy playing together.''

Carlos Boozer led the Bulls with 22 points and 10 rebounds and Luol Deng had 20 points. Still dealing with neck soreness, Derrick Rose finished with 13 points and six assists for Chicago, shooting 4 for 14 from the field and committing eight turnovers.

''I would blame tonight on me,'' said Rose, who wore tape around his neck for the second straight game. ''Turnovers, missed shots, miscommunication - I just couldn't get in my groove.''

After trailing by as many as 18 points earlier in the second half, the Sixers took a 100-99 lead with 3:29 left after Carter-Williams picked up a loose ball and calmly laid it in. It was the Sixers' first time in front since they led 11-10 midway through the first quarter.

Rose buried a 3-pointer with 2:12 left to put the Bulls in front 104-102 but the 2011 MVP committed turnovers on the next two Chicago possessions, allowing the Sixers to tie the game on a layup by Turner and then take a 105-104 lead when Turner made one of two free throws with 1:30 remaining.

With 5.9 seconds left, Hawes made a jumper to put the Sixers ahead 107-104, and Deng missed a potentially game-tying 3-pointer on the other end.

''At the end, they got to almost every loose ball and hit almost every shot they needed to win the game,'' Rose said.

Carter-Williams, the Sixers' prized first-round draft pick out of Syracuse, said he relished the chance to play against Rose, just one night after going toe-to-toe with Washington's John Wall.

And Rose, who sat out the entire 2012-13 season with a knee injury, looked at times unable to slow down Carter-Williams, who drove the lane with the kind of fearlessness and determination usually seen in veterans.

The rookie was 10 for 22 from the field and had three steals.

''Coach gives me a lot of confidence out there,'' Carter-Williams said. ''I'm able to play freely and I just try to make things happen within the team. I try to do my job out there and get all my teammates involved. They did a great job. And when they do a great job, it makes me look good.''

In the first half, the Bulls looked like one of the NBA's premier teams, as they're supposed to be. Dominating the inside and outrebounding the Sixers by a wide margin, Chicago closed the first quarter on a 24-11 run before increasing the lead to 20 late in the second quarter.

But a 3 by Hawes followed by a driving layup through traffic from Carter-Williams cut the Bulls' lead to 79-74 with just under 5 minutes remaining in the third quarter, getting the crowd back into the game. And the Sixers had a chance to take the lead after three quarters but a pullup jumper by Darius Morris rolled around the rim and out.

''In this league, no lead is safe,'' Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. ''I know you get tired of hearing that. But in one minute, a team can make up 10 points very quickly.''

Five Bulls ended up scoring in double figures, with Taj Gibson getting 12 and Joakim Noah adding 10 points and nine rebounds. Kirk Hinrich was effective spelling Rose with nine points and six assists.

But Thibodeau knows his team won't be able to start churning out wins until Rose starts playing like he did two seasons ago.

''It's hard to execute when you don't practice,'' he said. ''We need time in the gym. He'll work his way through it. He'll be fine.''

Brown, meanwhile, doesn't have too many concerns about his team, as his young players are flying high and putting all talk of a high pick in the 2014 NBA Draft to bed for now.

On Saturday, Brown played all 11 players available, with 10 of them scoring. Thaddeus Young finished with 13 points and Tony Wroten added 11 for the Sixers, who shot 48.8 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range.

''I'm surprised we've been able to score at the rate that we've able to score,'' Brown said. ''I didn't know they had it in them.''

NOTES: Before Saturday's loss, the Bulls had won five straight over the Sixers, dating to 2011-12. . Saturday's game marked the first of four straight at home for the Sixers. . Philadelphia rookie Brandon Davies made his NBA debut and banked in his first shot as a professional.

Perfect Pacers pull away late from Bulls 97-80


INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Indiana spent the offseason investing heavily in its bench.

On Wednesday night, the Pacers got the payoff.

Luis Scola, Donald Sloan and Lance Stephenson combined for all 12 points in a decisive fourth-quarter run, sending the still unbeaten Pacers past division rival Chicago 97-80 and to its best start since 1971-72.

''They brought all of us in to make the bench a little deeper than it was last year, and I think the guys on the bench know their role,'' Sloan said. ''So it just fits.''

Perfectly.

The NBA's last unbeaten team is 5-0 for the first time in Indiana's NBA history. Indiana can tie its franchise record, 6-0 set by the 1970-71 ABA powerhouse, when Toronto visits Friday night.

Wednesday's victory may have been the most impressive yet.

Again, the Pacers played short-handed. Starting point guard George Hill missed his third straight game with a sore left hip, and swingman Danny Granger still has not played because of a strained left calf.

Again, they had to rally from a halftime deficit.

And again, they found a way to close it out.

Paul George, the league's second-leading scorer, finished with 21 points, six rebounds and three assists. David West had 17 points and 13 rebounds, both season-highs. Roy Hibbert had eight points, 10 rebounds and added five more blocks to his league-leading total.

But Scola, Sloan and Stephenson changed the script.

After missing his first seven shots and scoring just three points in the first three quarters, Stephenson had 12 points in the final 12 minutes including two big 3-pointers during the decisive stretch. He finished with 15 points. Scola added 12, none more critical than the consecutive baskets he made midway through the fourth. Sloan scored nine points including the 17-footer that tied the score midway through the fourth.

''We just play hard. We feel like that we going to bring it every night on the defensive end, offensive end and we going to find a way to get that "W,''' Stephenson said. ''And we did that tonight.''

It sure wasn't easy against their fiercest division rival.

Derrick Rose and Luol Deng scored 17 points each to lead the Bulls (1-3), though Rose scored only three points in 12 minutes in the second half and he spent the first half of the fourth quarter on the bench.

''A couple players on their team made big plays, great second-chance efforts with the rebounding and Lance, I think, played great for them tonight knocking down shots and just playing hard,'' Rose said before answering a question about his minutes. ''I'll leave that up to Tibs, he's the coach on this team, so I'll let him coach.''

Perhaps Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau thought it was better to protect Rose's surgically repaired left knee in this rugged game that looked more like a boxing title bout.

Bodies repeatedly crashed hard to the court all night, and the game got progressively more physical with each quarter.

Pacers backup center Ian Mahinmi left late in the third quarter with a sprained left ankle and did not return. Chicago guard Kirk Hinrich was called for a flagrant foul in the fourth. There was a resounding thud inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse, too, when Chicago Joakim Noah hit the court while trying to protect his own basket late in the fourth.

But until the stretch, neither team could get the upper hand.

After leading 25-19 at the end of one quarter and trailing 43-37 at halftime, it looked like Indiana might break away after starting the third quarter on a 10-2 run and then coming up with a 9-2 spurt to regain the lead. When Sloan hit a 3-pointer with 1:12 left in the third, Indiana suddenly led 63-55.

It didn't last.

Hinrich answered with a 3, Deng hit an 11-foot jumper, drawing a foul on George, and Pacers coach Frank Vogel was called for a technical. Chicago hit both free throws to make it 63-62. The Bulls pulled even on Mike Dunleavy's 3 early in the fourth and regained the lead, 67-65, on Deng's midrange jumper with 8:38 to play.

Sloan tied the score at 67, Stephenson gave Indiana the lead with a 3, Scola followed that with consecutive baskets and Stephenson closed the run with another 3 to make it 77-69 with 5:16 to go.

Chicago never seriously challenged again as the Pacers pulled away.

''We've had a good feel since he got here. The guy's just a winner,'' Pacers coach Frank Vogel said of Scola. ''He just goes out there and knows how to play this game. He's one of the best players in the history of international basketball and one of the best power forwards in the game. We've got him as a backup power forward. It's quite a luxury.''

NOTES: Rose opened the game with his best offensive half of the season, going 5 of 9 from the field with 12 points and one 3 in the first two quarters. ... The Bulls fell to 6-22 all-time at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. ... Chicago's Carlos Boozer came into the game shooting an NBA-best 65.9 percent from the field and averaging 22.3 points but went just 3 of 10 with six points. ... The Pacers follow this back-to-back stretch with three games in the next five days.

Dudley, Redick lead Clippers' 121-82 rout of Bulls



LOS ANGELES (AP) While Derrick Rose headed home to Chicago for knee surgery, the Bulls began life without their superstar guard again.

The Los Angeles Clippers showed them just how ugly that life could be.

Jared Dudley scored a season-high 21 points, Chris Paul added 16 points and 17 assists, and the Clippers jumped all over the Bulls in Rose's absence for a 121-82 victory Sunday.

J.J. Redick scored 19 points and Blake Griffin had 15 points and 12 rebounds in the Pacific Division-leading Clippers' seventh win in nine games.

This was no ordinary blowout, either: The Clippers' 39-point margin of victory was the largest in franchise history.

The Clippers figured Rose's latest injury was weighing on the Bulls' minds. Los Angeles led for all but the first two minutes, and even the reserves surged ahead by 42 points in the fourth quarter.

''We jumped on them so quickly that I thought it had to have had a mental effect,'' Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. ''You don't lose a D. Rose. ... We came out and played unbelievable, and I just thought the mental part of that had to be difficult. Very few teams could have fought through that.''

Luol Deng scored 22 points as the Bulls flopped in their first game since Rose tore cartilage in his right knee Friday night in Portland.

Carlos Boozer and Mike Dunleavy scored 14 points apiece, but the Bulls couldn't keep up defensively with the Clippers - and the Chicago reserves fell apart while getting outscored 25-9 in the fourth quarter.

''It's tough for all of us with Derrick being out like this,'' said Joakim Noah, who had eight points. ''We're just hoping for the best with him, and see how it goes. Derrick is a big part of this team. I know how hard he rehabbed this whole time to be on the court.''

Kirk Hinrich had nine points and seven assists while starting in place of Rose, who missed last season after tearing a ligament in his left knee. Rose played in just 10 games before getting hurt again, but the Bulls are hoping he won't be out as long this time.

''We've done it before,'' Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau said, noting Rose has missed much of the past two seasons since his 2011 MVP campaign.

''This is year No. 3 now, so we've got experience doing it,'' he added. ''But we've got to get the fight. That's the first part of it - the determination, the fight and the will. The core of the team in there is the same core we had last year.''

While Chicago foundered, Los Angeles finished strong in a stretch of four games in five days, surpassing a pair of 37-point wins by the Buffalo Braves during the late 1970s for the biggest margin of victory in franchise history.

The Clippers played back-to-back afternoon home games this weekend, an occasional hazard of sharing a building with the Lakers and the NHL's Kings. But a day after blowing a 20-point lead in a victory over Sacramento, the Clippers showed little fatigue from their packed schedule - and the starters got the fourth quarter off as a reward.

''It's the best game this season, we got the opportunity to sit all quarter,'' Paul said. ''That's huge for our team. This was our fourth game in five nights. We could have come in with a lot of excuses, but we did what we were supposed to do.''

Los Angeles got out to an early double-digit lead with sharp perimeter shooting from Redick and Dudley, who combined for 29 points in the first half. The Clippers got remarkable performances from the two new additions to their starting lineup, with Dudley and Redick combining to make 16 of their 21 shots.

Dudley had the most impressive game of his first season with the Clippers, hitting four 3-pointers while passing his previous season high for points shortly after halftime. Redick was similarly sharp, providing the consistent perimeter scoring Los Angeles sought with his arrival.

''When they're hitting shots like that, man ... " Griffin said. ''Even when they're not, the pressure they put on a defense is great. That contributes to the whole offense.''

Antawn Jamison finally made his Clippers debut in their 15th game, hitting a 3-pointer in the third quarter for his first basket of his 16th NBA season. Jamison, who moved down the hallway from the Lakers in the offseason, finished with 11 points in 17 minutes.


NOTES: The Clippers surpassed their 33-point victory over the Bulls on Feb. 17, 1981, back when the club played in San Diego. ... Chicago has lost three straight to the Clippers. ... Marquis Teague, designated by Thibodeau as Hinrich's new backup, went scoreless with one assist in 20 minutes. ... DeAndre Jordan didn't attempt a shot until Paul found him with a half-court lob for a dramatic dunk with 3:41 left in the third quarter.

Durant, Ibaka pace Thunder to 95-73 win over Jazz



OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Oklahoma City is having no problem adjusting to the occasional game without All-Start Russell Westbrook.

The Thunder cruised to a 95-73 win over struggling Utah on Sunday night while their star point guard took the night off to rest his surgically repaired right knee.

They did so behind 19 points from Kevin Durant, as well as a 17-point, 11-rebound effort from Serge Ibaka - stretching their lead to as many as 37 points in the third quarter before finishing the game out with reserves.

''We just wanted to play our game,'' Durant said. ''No matter who's on the floor, we want to execute a game plan on both ends.

''... Of course, we would love to have Russell out, but everybody stepped up.''

Durant sat out the fourth quarter for Oklahoma City (9-3), which won its fifth straight overall and sixth straight at home to open the season, its best opening stretch since moving from Seattle.

Westbrook missed his first action since sitting for the season's opening two games while recovering from the second of two offseason knee surgeries. He's expected back when the Thunder host Western Conference leader San Antonio on Wednesday.

Utah (1-14), which has lost six straight games, was led by 10 points apiece from Enes Kanter and Rudy Gobert.

The Jazz looked for a spark in the lineup by starting former Michigan standout Trey Burke, the ninth overall pick in the June draft. Burke, playing in his third game since returning from surgery on his right index finger, struggled throughout - finishing with four points on 2-of-9 shooting.

Utah needed a 30-point fourth quarter to avoid its lowest point total of the season.

As it was, the Jazz equaled their worst output of the season, and they nearly equaled their previous worst loss of 24 points - which has happened twice this season.

Utah, which shot just 39.4 percent (28 of 71), is winless on the road at 0-9. It's the only Western Conference team without a road win, and the start is the worst on the road for the Jazz since opening the 1979-80 season 0-11 away from home.

''We're trying to build who we are in this league with this group of guys, and we've got to have more of a sense of urgency to start a game, especially against a team that's this good,'' Utah coach Tyrone Corbin said.

The game was third straight at home for Oklahoma City, which is in the middle of six-game home stand.

Playing the Jazz provided the perfect opportunity for Thunder coach Scott Brooks to give Westbrook five straight nights off.

The Thunder took a 75-38 lead late in the third quarter after a 3-pointer by Thabo Sefolosha, who finished with nine points, and they led 47-30 at halftime.

''Our philosophy is like everybody else; we want to make teams take tough shots, and I thought we did that tonight,'' Brooks said.

Reggie Jackson - starting in place of Westbrook - finished with 10 points. Jeremy Lamb added 15 points and Perry Jones had 13 off the Oklahoma City bench, which finished with a combined 36 points.

''We trust them, we believe in them, and they believe in themselves,'' Sefolosha said. ''They're playing extremely well, they're improving, working really hard, all of them on their game and it shows.''

Oklahoma City struggled in the early going without Westbrook, hitting just one of its first eight shots.

The cold shooting was short lived for the NBA's sixth-highest scoring team, which entered the game averaging 104.3 points per game.

Even without their All-Star point guard, the Thunder hit 17 of their next 29 shots and finished the first half 18 of 37 (48.6 percent) from the field. They led by as many as 20 points in the half, taking a 47-27 lead after back-to-back baskets by Ibaka, and the Jazz - 29th in the league in scoring - offered little resistance.

Utah shot just 33.3 percent (13 of 39) in the first half.

''When you're not scoring, it puts a lot of pressure on your defense to stop a team to keep the game close,'' Jazz forward Marvin Williams said. ''Unfortunately for us, the team we had to stop was Oklahoma City. That's how a game can kind of get away from you pretty quickly.''


NOTES: The streak of Oklahoma City fans hitting halftime shots for $20,000 ended at two after a fan air-balled his second-quarter attempt. ... Thunder fans have hit five half-court shots during the 2013 calendar year ... Oklahoma City was 34-7 at home last season.

Durant, Thunder snap Spurs' win streak, 94-88



OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The shots weren't falling early for Kevin Durant and never fell for Russell Westbrook, so it was Reggie Jackson and Jeremy Lamb who carried the Oklahoma City Thunder to their most impressive win of the season.

Durant finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds, Jackson matched his career high with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting and Lamb scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, lifting the Thunder to a 94-88 win over San Antonio and snapping the Spurs' 11-game winning streak.

Jackson scored eight straight points for the Thunder during a surge early in the fourth quarter that put Oklahoma City ahead by 11 points. The Spurs rallied within three points before Jackson and Durant combined to score the Thunder's final 13 points and put the game away.

''We couldn't guard (Jackson) tonight,'' San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. ''He really helped them. He was basically the difference in the game. He did a great job.''

Serge Ibaka added 17 points and 11 rebounds for Oklahoma City, which is 7-0 at home, the franchise's best home start since 2004-05, when it was in Seattle. The Thunder have won five straight, their longest streak of the season.

The Thunder took control of a tight game with an 8-0 run in the third quarter and withstood a run by San Antonio midway through the fourth.

''I just attacked gaps and shots went down for all of us,'' Jackson said. ''We just kept trying to get in the lane and make the passes for the next man and just keep attacking the bigs off pick-and-rolls. . I think we as a team, we did it pretty successfully tonight, but it all started defensively.''

Tony Parker had 16 points and seven assists for San Antonio (13-2), which was seeking the best start in franchise history. The Spurs also started 13-1 during the 2010-11 season. Portland, which entered Wednesday on an 11-game winning streak, is the only other team to have beaten San Antonio this season.

During their previous eight games, the Spurs had beaten opponents by an average of 19.1 points, with all those wins by nine or more points. But fellow Western Conference power Oklahoma City (10-3) represented a step up in competition, and the Spurs lost for the third straight time at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

San Antonio shot 39.1 percent from the field and went 7 of 27 (25.9 percent) from 3-point range. The latter number particularly irked Popovich, who said his team didn't attack the basket as much as he'd like.

''I thought a pretty good percentage of ours tonight were hurried or frenetic at times,'' Popovich said. ''I didn't like our selection.''

Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks agreed with Popovich that the majority of the Spurs' 3-point attempts benefited the Thunder.

''I thought our defense was outstanding,'' Brooks said. ''I think in the last three or four games we've put a string of defensive efforts and defensive performances together we can continue to build on.

''Going into this game they'd won 11 in a row and were the hottest team in basketball and with the way they score they're a hard team to guard. I thought our guys did a good job with our length making them miss shots and I thought defense was the key tonight.''

Durant and Westbrook combined to shoot 6 of 24 in the first half - 1 of 9 from 3-point range - and the Spurs led 46-43 at halftime. Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard went 6 of 12 from the field and had 13 first-half points for San Antonio.

With usual stalwarts Durant and Westbrook struggling, Ibaka picked up the slack early in the third quarter, scoring 10 straight points for Oklahoma City coming out of halftime. That seemed to wake up the Thunder and they went on an 8-0 run to take their largest lead to that point at 59-52 on a dunk by Durant at the 5:08 mark.

Lamb hit a 3-pointer and a 2-pointer in the final 1:35 of the third quarter to extend the lead to 68-59 and Jackson's driving layup gave the Thunder a 78-67 lead with 8:47 left. It was the first double-digit advantage for either team.

That was Oklahoma City's last field goal for more than 4 1/2 minutes, allowing the Spurs to gain ground. Marco Belinelli's basket with 6:46 left pulled San Antonio within 79-76 but then the Spurs went cold as well, missing their next four shots.

Ibaka's putback with 4:12 left ended the Thunder's drought and Jackson followed with an 11-foot jumper to make it 83-77. Durant, who finished 10 of 23 from the field, then grabbed the rebound after a miss by Leonard and drove the length of the court for a basket while being fouled. He made the free throw to put Oklahoma City ahead 86-77 with 2:56 left.

Jackson ''was aggressive all night getting to the rim,'' Durant said. ''That's what he does. Nobody can stay in front of him. . He gave us a nice spark and those guys, him and Jeremy, Fish (Derek Fisher), those guys are really the reason we won the basketball game.''


NOTES: Before the game, Popovich and Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti chatted briefly outside the Spurs' locker room. Presti was an assistant GM with the Spurs before taking the same job with the Thunder franchise in 2007. . Referee Monty McCutchen called Oklahoma City G Derek Fisher for three fouls on one San Antonio second-quarter possession. After an illegal screen call on the Spurs to end the possession, Fisher told McCutchen, "'That's terrible.'' McCutchen responded, "'Don't talk to me

Boozer leads Bulls to 107-87 win over Heat



CHICAGO (AP) The way everything was crumbling, the Chicago Bulls sure needed a reprieve. Knocking off the defending champions was a nice one.

Carlos Boozer scored 27 points, and the Bulls pounded LeBron James and the Miami Heat 107-87 on Thursday night.

Luol Deng had 20 points, Taj Gibson chipped in with 19, and Joakim Noah added 17 points and 15 rebounds as the Bulls had no trouble taking out the Southeast Division leaders.

Chicago took control early on and hung on down the stretch after watching a 25-point lead in the third quarter dwindle to 12 late in the game.

It was an impressive showing by a team that had dropped six of seven and is once again trying to get by without the injured Derrick Rose.

''Our team needed it,'' Noah said. ''We went through a lot the past couple of weeks. It's really hard to play without Derrick. I want to win with Derrick Rose.''

The Bulls shot 50 percent and were 10 for 19 on 3-pointers - four by Deng and three by Kirk Hinrich, who scored 13. They also outrebounded Miami 49-27.

James scored 21 points for Miami, but the Heat shot a season low for the second straight game, converting 41.6 percent from the field after hitting 43.9 percent in Tuesday's loss to Detroit.

''We can't just brush this loss aside,'' coach Erik Spoelstra said. ''We have to really own it, to understand what happened. They just got whatever they wanted, right in the paint, at the rim and if they missed those, then they're just beating us up at the glass.''

It didn't help that Dwyane Wade stayed back at the hotel with an illness after sitting out the previous game because of knee soreness.

Chris Andersen missed this one for personal reasons, but the Heat will get no sympathy from Chicago.

After all, the Bulls lost Rose to a torn meniscus in his right knee in a game at Portland on Nov. 22, and although the former MVP left the door slightly open for a playoff return earlier in the day, the team has ruled him out for the rest of the season.

''We really got snake-bitten,'' Gibson said. ''When that happened to Derrick, that was really like, "Wow.' We're a family in here. When that stuff kind of happens, it was just ... tough. We were on the road, odds were against us.''

And as if that six-game trip wasn't difficult enough, there was a triple-overtime loss to New Orleans on Monday in their first game back at the United Center.

The Bulls did just fine on Thursday, although things got a little tight down the stretch.

Miami cut it to 93-81 on Norris Cole's runner with 5:38 remaining. But Gibson answered with a jumper and blocked a layup by Udonis Haslem.

Deng made a 3 with just under four minutes left to make it 98-81, and Chicago hung on from there.

Before that, the only tension came early in the third quarter when Hinrich took a shot to the neck from Cole away from the ball. The result was an angry exchange, a flagrant foul one for Cole and a technical for Hinrich.

The Bulls' guard hit both free throws after James missed a foul shot, making it 67-45.

Boozer led a scorching start by Chicago, scoring 19 points as the Bulls built a 58-44 halftime lead.

But in the end, it was the Bulls' rebounding and defense that had the Heat shaking their heads.

''We've never been a great rebounding team but we've been able to overcome that,'' James said. ''Teams have done a much better job of rebounding against us. It could be an effort thing, it could be a lot of things but we just got to go out and just go get them.

''I'm going to do a better job of that, get more rebounds. But it's a group thing for a team. We don't have a Kevin Love or Joakim Noah or Dwight Howard, those types of guys who can get you 15-plus, we have to do it as a collective group.''


NOTES: There was a moment of silence before the game to honor Nelson Mandela, who died Thursday at the age of 95. ... This was the Bulls' most lopsided win over the Heat since a 126-96 blowout at Miami on Jan. 16, 2008. ... Andersen expected to rejoin Miami on Friday in Minnesota. The Heat play the Timberwolves on Saturday.

CNNSI.com

James helps Heat beat Magic 112-98


MIAMI (AP) LeBron James caught an alley-oop flip from Dwyane Wade on a fast break, threw down a dunk and then headed up court with his arms spread like some superhero.

James can look the part, whether he's wearing a clear mask or a black one.

Switching to a clear protective cover at the NBA's request, James had 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists Saturday to help the Miami Heat earn their seventh consecutive victory by beating the Orlando Magic 112-98.

James dispensed with the black mask he wore Thursday when playing for the first time since he broke his nose.

''He was a clear-mask guy tonight,'' teammate Chris Bosh said. ''He was just a regular dude, a regular citizen of Gotham.''

Wade scored 24 points and Bosh 20 for the Heat, who shot 58 percent. Eleven players scored for the Heat, and their bench totaled 39 points.

James said league officials wanted him to wear something that would allow opponents to see his face. The newer mask seemed to bother James more than the black one did, and he frequently took it off when the clock was stopped.

''It's not comfortable,'' he said. ''Having something on your face isn't comfortable, but it is what it is.''

While the mask was a nuisance and James' nose remained tender, neither hindered his performance.

''It's another challenge for a great player,'' coach Erik Spoelstra said. ''His game is an aggressive, attacking game, and there's going to be contact. But coming off the injury, he has been as aggressive as he was before.''

James' streak of five consecutive games with more than 30 points came to an end, but he took just 12 shots and played only 31 minutes.

''When you come out and take care of business, that's a reward,'' he said.

After sitting out a week because of his broken nose, he avoided another injury when he went stumbling into the third row after making a fast-break layup and settled in an unoccupied seat.

The Heat improved to 10-1 since Feb. 1, and they've won their past four games by an average of 19 points.

''Defensively we're flying around and we're communicating,'' James said. ''And offensively, obviously we're playing at a high level.''

The Heat completed a sweep of the four-game season series against their in-state rivals.

''They're an efficient team, the most efficient team in the NBA,'' Magic coach Jacque Vaughn said. ''That's done with LeBron setting up people, and you're getting shots that you want. You're not rushing.''

The game was the first for the last-place Magic since they broke a 16-game road losing streak at Philadelphia on Wednesday. Tobias Harris led Orlando with 20 points, and Nikola Vucevic added 18.

With the Heat taking the lead for good early in the second quarter, Bosh played only 18 minutes, his lowest total since Nov. 16.

''I got a bunch of night-off jokes tonight,'' Bosh said. ''I enjoyed it. Guys filled in and did their job.''

Among the contributors off the bench was Greg Oden, playing his 11th game after being sidelined by knee trouble for 3 1/2 years. He went 3 for 3 for eight points with four rebounds in 13 minutes.

''I'm happy to be on the team,'' Oden said. ''When I get a chance to play, I just don't want to mess up.''

Heat guard Mario Chalmers had the highlight play of the first half, fetching a loose ball while seated at midcourt with his back to his basket, then flipping a pass over his shoulder to James to set up a fast-break basket.

The Heat also got to the rim often out of their half-court offense.

''They do a good job moving the ball, driving, kicking,'' Vucevic said. ''They make plays for each other. They're very unselfish.''

NOTES: Orlando's Arron Afflalo missed his fourth consecutive game. He was out with a sprained ankle and is now recovering from a brief illness. ... At 42-14, the Heat have tied their best start through 56 games. They had the same record a year ago, when they went on to win their second consecutive NBA title. ... The Heat improved to 15-0 at home when leading at halftime.

CNNSI.com

Clippers beat Nuggets 117-105 for record 57th win


LOS ANGELES (AP) Blake Griffin won't be playing in Portland, regardless of whether his 16th technical of the season is rescinded.

Griffin will stay home to rest, along with J.J. Redick, while the rest of the Los Angeles Clippers close out the regular season against the Trail Blazers.

They recorded their franchise-record 57th victory with a 117-105 win over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night, when Griffin scored 24 points.

''I'm very happy that we're doing this stuff, but it's not what we want,'' Clippers coach Doc Rivers said.

Chris Paul had 21 points and 10 assists, and Redick added 18 points in the Clippers' finale at home, where they went 34-7 for another franchise mark. DeAndre Jordan had 13 points and 16 rebounds.

''It's all good and well,'' Paul said about the franchise records, ''but it's all about the postseason.''

The win kept the Clippers in the hunt for the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. They would need to win at Portland and Oklahoma City would need to lose to Detroit on Wednesday night for the Clippers to claim the second spot. Otherwise, they will remain the third seed.

Griffin's 16th tech triggered a league-mandated one-game suspension. But he said he thinks the league might rescind it.

''I honestly do,'' he said. ''It was one of those ones that was kind of a continuation. If I make a play on the ball and I hit the ball first, and he gives me a tech for that, I'm not sure if that's going to stand up.''

Griffin was assessed the tech with 3:23 left in the second quarter. He swung his right arm around to try to get the ball from Timofey Mozgov and hit him in the head. Griffin pleaded his case with the referees to no avail.

Teammate Jared Dudley saw the play and was confident the call would be rescinded.

''He did hit ball, but he did follow through and hit his face,'' Dudley said. ''If it wasn't an offensive foul, the ref said that he wouldn't have called the technical; it would have been more of a flagrant.''

Kenneth Faried led the Nuggets with 21 points and Aaron Brooks added 19. Mozgov had 18 points and 11 rebounds as Denver's three-game winning streak ended.

''Every time, it's tough to play against the big guys like them,'' Mozgov said about Griffin and Jordan. ''They work under the basket so hard.''

The Clippers scored the game's first 13 points and never looked back. Paul hit two 3-pointers and Matt Barnes added another before the Nuggets called timeout to regroup. Redick scored 10 unanswered points by himself, including two 3-pointers that extended the Clippers' lead to 18 points. Griffin had three one-handed highlight dunks in the first.

''We were rattled at the beginning of the game,'' Nuggets coach Brian Shaw said. ''We couldn't settle down and they jumped out to that big lead, and it was just too much for us.''

Mozgov helped the Nuggets close within single-digits after trailing by 23 with a three-point play that left them down 88-80 to end the third.

Denver twice got within five in the fourth, when all of the Clippers' starters except Barnes and Jordan rested. But Los Angeles pulled away down the stretch for the easy win.

''I wanted them to figure it out,'' Rivers said of the reserves. ''That's a confidence booster for them to close it out.''

NOTES: Redick won't play the regular-season finale Wednesday at Portland to avoid a back-to-back situation. ... Clippers F Danny Granger could practice Thursday or Friday. He missed his eighth straight game because of a strained left hamstring. ... Denver finished 14-27 on the road and 7-19 against the West away from home. ... The Nuggets host playoff-bound Golden State on Wednesday in their final game of the season.

CNNSI.com

Thunder beat Grizzlies 92-89 in OT, tie up series


MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Reggie Jackson came off the bench and outscored teammates Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook by himself. The Oklahoma City Thunder needed every point from their top reserve to win yet another overtime game against Memphis.

Jackson scored a personal playoff-best 32 points, and the Thunder beat the Grizzlies 92-89 Saturday night, tying up their first-round Western Conference series at two apiece.

''Reggie played an outstanding basketball game,'' Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. ''He was able to attack and finish around the rim like he's done all year, and I knew he would bounce back ... He's done a great job of coming in and giving us that lift offensively when we needed it as a sixth man.''

The Thunder sure needed him to avoid going back home in a 3-1 hole after three straight overtime games.

Jackson had only scored 15 points combined in this series, but the guard shook off his shooting woes by hitting 11 of 16. Durant and Russell Westbrook, who struggled through their worst scoring game of the series with a combined 11 of 45 and 15 points apiece.

He said a few made layups finally got him going. Jackson said Durant and Westbrook were allowing him to play.

''They told me to just keep going and be aggressive,'' Jackson said.

The Thunder blew a 14-point lead with Memphis, and the Grizzlies blew a third straight fourth-quarter lead themselves. Jackson tied up Memphis with five straight points in the final minute of regulation, and he hit all six free throws in overtime as the Thunder survived an extra period with seven lead changes.

''They're running plays for him with Durant and Westbrooks spaced out,'' Memphis coach Dave Joerger said. ''If you're going down, my hat's off to them, both guys did a great job, and Reggie Jackson did a great job just being in attack mode.''

Durant's two free throws with 1:02 left in overtime put the Thunder ahead to stay.

''One of the things I was pleased about was the way Russ and KD took a backseat tonight and let Reggie take over,'' Thunder center Kendrick Perkins said. ''That says a lot about them also.''

Game 5 is Tuesday night back in Oklahoma City.

Mike Conley missed a 26-footer just before the buzzer that could have forced a second extra period. Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka also blocked a Tony Allen shot with 2.7 seconds left in regulation to keep the Thunder alive for overtime.

The Thunder won for only the second time in seven playoff games in Memphis, and this was just their second in eight overtimes with the Grizzlies since the start of the 2010-11 season. Oklahoma City also snapped Memphis' franchise-record 15-game winning streak.

Ibaka added 12 points for Oklahoma City. The Thunder outrebounded Memphis 58-49 and got 12 offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter and overtime combined.

Marc Gasol led Memphis with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Allen had 14 points and 13 rebounds, Conley had 14 points and Zach Randolph added 11.

Gasol said he expects the Grizzlies will be more aggressive with Jackson in the next game. But he also noted they have to do better against the likes of Ibaka and Caron Butler.

''Those are the guys that are going to be the difference in the series,'' Gasol said.

The Grizzlies blew a fourth-quarter lead for a third straight game. They last led 87-86 after Conley hit a step-back jumper. Then Duran hit two free throws with 1:02 left to put the Thunder ahead to stay, and Jackson sealed it with four free throws in the final 12.2 seconds.

With NBA commissioner Adam Silver and former Oklahoma and Dallas Cowboys coach Barry Switzer on hand, the Thunder got back to passing the ball and shooting better with the exception of Durant and Westbrook.

Oklahoma City took its biggest lead of the game at 64-50 on a layup by Durant with 26.3 seconds left in the third. Then the Grizzlies put together their best stretch with a 15-5 spurt with Memphis coach Dave Joerger going with a small group of shooters including Mike Miller, Beno Udrih and Conley.

Miller hit a 3-pointer that brought fans to their feet, and Allen's layup off his own miss with 3:55 gave the Grizzlies their first lead since 20-18 early in the second quarter. But they couldn't hold the lead on a day where former owner Michael Heisley died at the age of 77.

After Allen and Gasol hit jumpers pushing Memphis' lead to 80-75, Jackson hit a 3 and then drove the lane to tie it up at 80 with 30.6 seconds to go.

Notes: Derek Fisher played in his 244th career playoff game, tying him with Robert Horry for most postseason appearances in NBA history. ... Heisley was remembered with a moment of silence before tipoff. ... Oklahoma City last won a playoff game in Memphis on May 9, 2011 needing three overtimes. That also was Game 4, and the Thunder won that semifinal series in seven.

CNNSI.com

Report: LeBron James, Cavaliers to play Heat on Christmas Day

The Cleveland Cavaliers will play the Miami Heat in Miami on Christmas Day, marking the first time LeBron James will play his former team, the Miami Herald reports.

James announced he would return to Cleveland earlier this month, after spending the past four seasons with the Heat, leading them to two championships.

The NBA schedule is not completed and will be released next month. According to the report, the game likely would be played at either 2:30 p.m. or 5 p.m.

The NBA scheduled five Christmas games in 2013-14. The Heat have played in 10 Christmas Day games, going 8-2 in those contests, winning five straight. Miami beat the Los Angeles Lakers 101-95 on the holiday last season.

The Cavaliers last appeared on the Christmas Day schedule in 2009. James left for Miami the following summer.

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Utah Saints Utah Saints u u u Utah Saints