WASHINGTON – Richard Hamilton damaged his former team’s playoff prospects by scoring six of his 16 points in overtime Tuesday night, helping the Detroit Pistons to a 94-90 victory over the Washington Wizards.
Hamilton, who shot just 4-of-12 in regulation, was 3-of-5 in the extra period, including three straight jumpers that gave the Pistons a four-point lead. He and Chauncey Billups, who sealed the game with a high-arching layup in traffic with 13 seconds left, accounted for nine of 10 Detroit’s overtime points.
Jerry Stackhouse scored 28 points and Michael Jordan had 23 for the Wizards, but both were silent in overtime until Stackhouse’s runner in the dying seconds.
The Wizards, who fell back into a tie with Milwaukee for eighth place in the Eastern Conference, now leave for a six-game West Coast road trip. The team is 9-21 on the road this season.
76ers 103, Heat 83
MIAMI – Allen Iverson scored 32 points and the Philadelphia 76ers kept pace with the Nets in the Atlantic Division by coasting to a 103-83 victory over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night.
The Sixers, 15-2 since the All-Star break, stayed a half-game behind New Jersey for first place in the Atlantic Division, improving to 40-26.
Philadelphia shot 56 percent from the floor and never led by fewer than eight points in the second half.
Iverson, averaging 32.1 points in his last eight games, went 13-of-25 from the field to go along with six assists. It was his 29th game this season with 30 or more points.
‘Wolves 96, Grizzlies 80
MINNEAPOLIS – Kevin Garnett made eight consecutive field goals in the second half and finished with 29 points and 19 rebounds as the Minnesota Timberwolves ended the Memphis Grizzlies’ six-game winning streak, 96-80 Tuesday night.
Garnett, who shot just 5-for-15 in first half, was 9-of-11 in the second half as the Wolves beat the Grizzlies for the eighth consecutive time. It was Garnett’s 18th consecutive double-double and his NBA-best 59th of the season.
Memphis shot just 38 percent in losing for the first time since March 3. All six of their wins had come against teams currently slated for the draft lottery.
The Timberwolves moved within a half-game of idle Portland for the Western Conference’s final home playoff spot.
Garnett hit four shots in a row in the third quarter as the Wolves built a 68-56 lead.
Earl Watson’s layup with 8:47 left in the fourth quarter brought the Grizzlies within 74-70, the closest Memphis had been since early in the second quarter.
Bulls 103, Hawks 78
CHICAGO – Jalen Rose broke out of his scoring slump with 31 points, and Tyson Chandler had a double-double Tuesday night as the Chicago Bulls routed the Atlanta Hawks 103-78.
The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the Bulls and improved their home record to 21-12.
Slowed by a sore back and shoulder, Rose had been held under 20 points for three straight games – a first since he’s been in Chicago. But a visit from the Hawks was the perfect remedy.
Rose shot 11-for-18 from the floor and 7-for-7 from the line, and also had four assists and two rebounds. His numbers could have been even better, but the game was so out of hand he spent most of the fourth quarter on the bench.
The Bulls took full advantage, going on a 28-7 run that spanned halftime. Chicago reeled off 16 straight to end the first half, including back-to-back fast-break dunks by Marshall and Rose to give Chicago a 41-39 lead, its first of the game.
Mavs 114, Cavaliers 93
DALLAS – Steve Nash came back after a one-point first half and scored 18 during a third-quarter surge as the Dallas Mavericks shook off a lethargic start and won their third straight, 114-93 over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night.
Dallas improved its league-best record to 51-16, moving within six victories of matching last season’s franchise-best total with 15 games remaining.
Dirk Nowitzki paced the Mavericks with 28 points, 10 in the third quarter. Nash, who missed all five of his first-half field goal attempts, added 21 points and six assists.
Knicks 105, Spurs 97
SAN ANTONIO – Allan Houston scored 36 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter, as the New York Knicks defeated San Antonio 105-97 Tuesday night to snap the Spurs’ six-game winning streak.
Houston was coming off a 50-point performance in his last game, a victory over the Bucks that kept the Knicks in the playoff picture. He made six 3-pointers to help New York move within two games of Milwaukee and Washington for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.
Latrell Sprewell added 17, Michael Doleac had 14 and Kurt Thomas 13 for the Knicks, who outscored the Spurs 36-19 in the final quarter.
Tim Duncan had 27 points despite being listed as questionable before the game with a sprained right ankle.
He was 9-of-15 from the field in 45 minutes but struggled at the line, hitting only nine of 15.
San Antonio was 22-of-35 from the free throw line.
Tony Parker scored 21, while Bruce Bowen, Malik Rose and Stephen Jackson added 12 apiece.
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