Hoops News Blog

Carlos Boozer scored 18 of his 22 points in the second half and overtime to lead the Utah Jazz to their fourth straight victory, 100-97 over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night. Andrei Kirilenko scored 15 of his 22 points after halftime, including two free throws with 9.8 seconds remaining to provide the final margin.

Carmelo Anthony scored 30 points and Chauncey Billups had 21, leading the Denver Nuggets to a 112-93 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night. It was the 15th straight regular-season home win for the Nuggets, including all five this season as Denver bounced back from Friday night's loss in Los Angeles to the Clippers.

There's one thing — other than LeBron James, of course — that the Cleveland Cavaliers can always count on when things get tough. In a pinch, they turn to their defense. "That's where we make our mark at," James said. "On the defensive end. We just lock down." James scored 32 points, Mo Williams added [...]

Rookie Brandon Jennings scored 24 of his 26 points in the second half, and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Memphis Grizzlies 103-98 on Saturday night for their third straight victory. Charlie Bell added 19 for Milwaukee, which has won seven of its last eight. Ersan Ilyasova finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds, and reserve [...]

Tony Parker scored 17 points and the San Antonio Spurs stopped a three-game losing streak with a 106-84 victory over the Washington Wizards on Saturday night. Parker played for only the second time in six games, bothered by a bad ankle during what has been one of the worst starts for San Antonio in the [...]

Rookie Darren Collison had 22 points and 11 assists for his first double-double, and the New Orleans Hornets won their third straight while snapping the Atlanta Hawks' seven-game winning streak, 96-88 on Saturday night. Fellow rookie Marcus Thornton scored 21 for the resurgent Hornets, who made 12 of 17 3-point attempts.

LeBron James scored 32 points, Mo Williams added 18 and the Cleveland Cavaliers clamped down defensively in the fourth quarter, holding the Philadelphia 76ers to 10 points over the final 12 minutes for a 97-91 victory on Saturday night. James added nine assists, seven rebounds and delivered a resounding dunk with 2:41 left that effectively [...]

Atlanta starting guard Mike Bibby sprained his left ankle in the first quarter of the Hawks' game in New Orleans on Saturday night. Bibby appeared to roll the ankle while coming down from a jump shot about five minutes into the game. Team officials said he would not return. Bibby came in averaging 10.7 points [...]

Marv Albert said Saturday he was never involved in an altercation with 50 Cent, denying Internet reports of a fight on "Jimmy Kimmel Live." According to the reports, punches were thrown after members of the rapper's entourage didn't recognize Albert, the longtime sports broadcaster who was appearing as a guest on the show on Wednesday [...]

Cavaliers center Shaquille O'Neal is out for Saturday's game against Philadelphia, the fifth straight game he has missed with a shoulder injury. O'Neal hasn't played since a Nov. 12 win over Miami. Cavs coach Mike Brown said before Saturday's game against Philadelphia that O'Neal won't play in a game again until he practices.