DPA/Los Angeles
The Washington Wizards lost their leader on Tuesday but remembered him the best way possible - with a victory.
Antawn Jamison had 32 points with 14 rebounds, and the heavy-hearted Wizards held off the Philadelphia 76ers for an emotional 108-107 win.
The victory came just hours after Abe Pollin, who owned the Wizards for 46 years, died at age 85. Though no details were disclosed, Pollin suffered from progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare brain disorder that impairs movement and balance.
“It was tough for us but we knew Mr Pollin would want us to come out here and play hard and find a way to get it done,” the choked up Jamison said. “He’s watching us now, so it’s good to get the win. But it’s going to be tough not hearing his voice, always pumping us up because he loved the game so much.”
Nick Young scored 20 points, Gilbert Arenas added 17 and Andray Blatche finished with 14 for the Wizards (4-9) who survived a late charge to snap a two-game slide.
“It was a hard evening, but at the end of the day Abe Pollin loved us so much that we couldn’t feel the pain until after the game,” Arenas said. “We had to go out there and just play. He wouldn’t want us to stop doing what he loved.”
Before tipoff, Pollin was honoured with a moment of silence as the national anthem was played at Verizon Centre, which he built mostly with his own money.
“He would want us to celebrate his life and not mourn his death,” Wizards coach Flip Saunders said. “That’s just the individual he was. But when you’re here going through it, it’s not that easy.”
Playing with a purpose, the inspired Wizards led by as many as 15 in the third quarter, but watched it nearly disappear. Louis Williams, who scored 10 points in the final 3:13, hit a layup to draw the Sixers within 108-107 with 40 seconds remaining.
A turnover by Arenas with 28 seconds gave the ball back to the Sixers. With the clock ticking down, Williams launched a potential game-winning three from the right wing, that rimmed the basket as the final buzzer sounded.
“It was an emotional game and I guess Mr P probably contested that shot better than anybody,” Saunders said.
“Mr Pollin’s spirit blocked that shot out of the rim,” said Sixers coach Eddie Jordan, who was hired by Pollin to coach the Wizards in 2003, but returned to face his former team, exactly one year after being fired.
Williams scored 26 points, Thaddeus Young had 23 for Philadelphia (5-9) which lost its third in a row.
Lakers 100, Knicks 90
Kobe Bryant scored 34 points, Spaniard Pau Gasol had 11 with 16 rebounds and the host Lakers coasted to their fourth straight victory.
Ron Artest and Andrew Bynum tallied 17 apiece for the Lakers (11- 3) who built a 24-point third-quarter cushion against their undersized opponents.
Nate Robinson and Wilson Chandler scored 15 apiece for New York (3-11) losers of five in a row to the defending NBA champions.
Denver Nuggets 101, New Jersey Nets 87
League top scorer Carmelo Anthony tossed in 27 points, Brazilian Nene had 17 with nine rebounds and the host Nuggets (10-4) handed the winless Nets their 14th consecutive loss.
New Jersey, which received 19 points apiece from Rafer Alston and Devin Harris, can match the league’s worst start owned by Miami and the LA Clippers, with road losses this week against Portland, Sacramento and the LA Lakers.
Golden State Warriors 111, Dallas Mavericks 103
Monta Ellis poured in a season-high 37 points, Anthony Morrow hit a career-best six threes en route to 27, and the visiting Warriors pulled away to stop the Mavericks’ five-game winning streak.
Stephen Curry scored 11 of his 18 points in the final four minutes, including the go-ahead three with 2:20 left as Golden State (5-8) closed on a 24-7 en route to its first two-game winning streak of the season.
German wunderkind Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas (10-4) with 28 points and 10 rebounds, while Jason Terry added 21 points off the bench.
Oklahoma City Thunder 104, Utah Jazz 94
Kevin Durant scored 11 of his game-high 28 points in the pivotal 31-16 third quarter, Jeff Green added 19 and the visiting Thunder (8-7) snapped the Jazz’ three-game winning streak.
Carlos Boozer topped Utah (7-7) with 26 points and Paul Millsap chipped in 19.
Toronto Raptors 123, Indiana Pacers 112
Spaniard Jose Calderon scored a season-high 21 points, Chris Bosh had 16 with 12 rebounds and the Raptors sent the stumbling Pacers to their fourth straight loss.
Danny Granger paced visiting Indiana (5-7) with a season-best 36 points, including seven threes, and nine rebounds. |
