Sports

NBA

Hawks nip Celtics for first victory

Associated Press
Published November 24, 2005

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ATLANTA - The Hawks became the last NBA team to win a game, outlasting the Boston Celtics 120-117 Wednesday night as Al Harrington scored 34 points.

Zaza Pachulia added 19 points and 13 rebounds as the Hawks finally won after losing their first nine games - the longest winless start in franchise history.

Joe Johnson scored 13, all in the second half, and made three free throws in the final 30 seconds to help the Hawks protect the lead.

Topping their previous scoring high for the season by 23 points, the Hawks finally won by shooting 56 percent from the field.

The Hawks, who were 27th in the league with their average of 88 points per game, reached 100 points for the first time.

Paul Pierce hit a 3-pointer at the final buzzer for 33 points. Ricky Davis added 25 for the Celtics, who fell to 0-4 on the road. Overall, Boston has lost four of its last five games.

HEAT 100, BLAZERS 79: Dwyane Wade scored 19 and tied his personal high with 11 rebounds for his 23rd career double-double to lead host Miami.

Jason Williams added 16 points, and James Posey and Antoine Walker each had 12 for Miami, which has won six straight at home and five of six overall. Coming off a loss at previously winless Toronto on Sunday, the Heat improved to 5-3 without injured center Shaquille O'Neal.

Wade shot 7-of-13 from the field and 5-of-6 from the foul line in his sixth double-double of the season.

Darius Miles scored 19 points and Zach Randolph added 16 for Portland, which has lost three of four and fell to 1-2 on its seven-game road trip.

BUCKS 108, SIXERS 97: Allen Iverson scored an NBA season-high 45, but Michael Redd had 32 to help host Milwaukee prevail.

Iverson, who was 13-of-30 from the floor and 17-of-19 from the line, surpassed the 43 points Kobe Bryant had for the Lakers against Chicago three days ago. Gilbert Arenas also had 43 for Washington against San Antonio on Nov. 12.

It was Iverson's sixth straight game with 30 or more points against Milwaukee, and it came two nights after he sat out the fourth quarter of a victory over New Orleans because of flu-like symptoms.

SUNS 100, ROCKETS 88: Shawn Marion and James Jones each scored 19 and visiting Phoenix rediscovered its 3-point shooting touch.

After going 8-of-42 from 3-point range the previous two games, Phoenix shot 14-of-27 from behind the arc for a season-high 3-point total. Jones was 5-of-10.

The Rockets, who have lost five straight, played without Tracy McGrady, who missed his third straight game and sixth overall with back problems. He's day-to-day.

Derek Anderson led Houston with 23 points.

PISTONS 114, NUGGETS 89: Richard Hamilton scored 19 and Chauncey Billups added 16 and 11 assists as host Detroit ended Denver's four-game winning streak.

The victory came four days after the Pistons (9-1) lost for the only time this season, 119-82 at Dallas. Detroit put seven players in double figures and had a season-high 35 assists.

Ben Wallace added 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Pistons, while reserve Maurice Evans scored a season-high 16.

Marcus Camby led the Nuggets (7-6) with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

BOBCATS 108, KNICKS 95: Gerald Wallace returned from a wrist injury to score 24 and grab nine rebounds, leading host Charlotte to only its second win in nine games.

Kareem Rush added 22 points and Emeka Okafor had 19 and 11 rebounds for the Bobcats.

Wallace, who had missed six games with a chip fracture in his right wrist, made three 3-pointers, blocked a shot and dunked on an alley-oop pass from Brevin Knight as the Bobcats outscored the Knicks 23-11 in the first seven minutes of the third quarter to take a 19-point lead.

Wallace, who played with a wrap on his wrist, made 5-of-8 3-pointers. Known more as a slasher, he had never attempted more than four 3s in a game.

HORNETS 84, WOLVES 80: Chris Paul scored 19 of his 21 in the second half to rally New Orleans from a 12-point halftime deficit at Oklahoma City.

Paul hit a 3-pointer from the left wing with 2:09 left to give the Hornets a 77-74 lead. Anthony Carter missed a 3-pointer for Minnesota, and Paul found P.J. Brown for an open jumper at the other end.

WARRIORS: Swingman Mickael Pietrus is expected to miss up to four weeks with a sprained ligament in his right knee suffered in Monday night's victory over New Jersey.

[Last modified November 24, 2005, 00:19:08]