NBA Capsules
December 18th, 2009 Posted in NBA basketball newsMIAMI -Dwyane Wade had 25 points and seven assists, Michael Beasley added 22 points and the Miami Heat were in control throughout an easy 104-86 victory over the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic on Thursday night.
Dorell Wright and Quentin Richardson each scored 11 points for the Heat, who beat their Southeast Division rivals for the second time in two meetings this season.
Dwight Howard finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Magic, who fell to 15-4 against the East this season.
Wade sat out the entire fourth quarter for the third straight game. He left with about a minute left in the third because of a sore shooting wrist. He has been bothered by a sore right wrist for the past week.
Bulls 98, Knicks 89
CHICAGO – Luol Deng scored 24 points, John Salmons added 20 and the Bulls rallied from 17 down for their third win in 14 games.
The Bulls took control with a 15-2 run in the fourth quarter. Salmons scored seven points in the final 47.7 seconds, hitting a key 3-pointer.
The Knicks led by as many as 17 in the first quarter thanks to a torrid start by Al Harrington, who scored 14 of his 18 points in the period. New York attempted an NBA-record 29 3-pointers in the first half, hitting nine. The Knicks finished 16 of 47 from long range, setting an NBA season high for 3-point tries.
They were leading 79-75 about 4 1/2 minutes into the fourth when Chicago scored 10 straight points and 15 of 17, sending New York to its second consecutive loss after winning four in a row.
Trail Blazers 105, Suns 102
PORTLAND, Ore. – Jerryd Bayless had a career-high 29 points and made three free throws in the final 9 seconds, and the Trail Blazers overcame a 15-point third-quarter deficit to beat Phoenix.
Brandon Roy added 27 points and eight rebounds for the injury plagued Blazers, who have won two in a row after dropping six of eight.
Bayless made 1-of-2 free throws with 4.0 seconds left to give Portland a three-point lead. Steve Nashs off-balance 3-point attempt bounced off the rim as time expired.
Amare Stoudemire had 27 points and Grant Hill scored 20 points for the Suns, who have lost six straight on the road for the first time since Jan. 28 to Feb. 20, 2004.
Nash had 16 points, 13 assists and five rebounds.
