Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls (1) goes to the basket against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York City. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
Bulls 105, Knicks 102
Derrick Rose scored 32 points to outduel fellow all-star starter Carmelo Anthony, and the Chicago Bulls beat the New York Knicks 105-102 Thursday night.
Rose had 15 in the fourth quarter and repeatedly answered when the Knicks rallied. With Chicago leading 88-83 midway through the final period, the reigning MVP scored on three straight possessions. He split Anthony and Amare Stoudemire to flip in a shot from past the backboard, then hit a three-pointer to put the Bulls up 95-88.
Stoudemire had 34 points and 11 rebounds but missed a three-pointer that would have tied the game with 10 seconds left. New York has lost 10 of 12 and now heads into its first back-to-back-to-back since 1999 with coach Mike D'Antoni facing more questions about his job security. New York travels to Boston to play Friday night before returning home to face the Nets on Saturday.
Anthony had 26 points but just 4 in the fourth quarter and missed a desperation three at the buzzer that would have sent the game to overtime. Twice in the last 2 minutes with the Knicks trailing by 3, he had his shot blocked.
Grzzlies 96, Hawks 77
Rudy Gay scored 21 points to lead five Memphis players in double figures and the Grizzlies blew out the listless Atlanta Hawks 96-77 Thursday night.
Memphis pulled away late in the first half, closing on an 18-7 run that gave the Grizzlies a 10-point lead at the break. They blew it open in the third quarter after Atlanta missed its first seven shots and turned it over three times.
The Hawks were coming off a 4-1 road trip that left them tied with Miami for the Southeast Division lead. But they looked exhausted in their return to Philips Arena, putting up ugly jumpers, playing pedestrian defence and struggling just to hang on to the ball.
Josh Smith led the Hawks with 11 points.
Spurs 93, Hornets 83
Tim Duncan scored 19 points, Tony Parker had 18 and the San Antonio Spurs won their third in a row, beating the New Orleans Hornets 93-83 Thursday night.
A night after Duncan scored 25 in a win over Houston, it was somewhat surprising that he even played. Coach Gregg Popovich has vowed to limit the 35-year-old's minutes and playing the West's worst team seemed to invite a night off.
But the Hornets didn't make it easy. Carly Landry scored 17 points and Greivis Vasquez added 16 points staring in place of Jarrett Jack, keeping New Orleans close before the Spurs blew on the game in the fourth.
Jack sat out with a sore knee but the pain isn't considered serious. The Hornets have lost 12 of their last 13.
Kings 95, Trail Blazers 92
Marcus Thornton scored 20 points and John Salmons had a season-high 19 for the Sacramento Kings, who snapped a five-game losing streak by beating the Portland Trail Blazers 95-92 Thursday night.
The Blazers had beaten the Kings in 12 of the previous 13 games, but Sacramento ran off five straight points late in the game and held off Portland, which missed two 3-pointers in the final 10 seconds.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 28 points and 14 rebounds for the Blazers, who have lost four straight on the road, where they are 3-9 this season. Jamal Crawford scored 17 points and Raymond Felton 15 points and 10 assists. Portland made just 8-of-16 free throws.
Tyreke Evans scored 18 points, Marcus Thornton and Jason Thompson added 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Kings.
Warriors 119, Jazz 101
Stephen Curry scored 29 points and had a season-high 12 assists, Monta Ellis added 33 points and the Golden State Warriors beat the Utah Jazz 119-101 on Thursday night.
David Lee added 23 points and 14 rebounds for the Warriors. Golden State has won two straight since losing the first four games on its six-game homestand.
Curry and Ellis, who were on the bench for most of the fourth quarter in Tuesday's win over Sacramento when coach Mark Jackson played mainly reserves, didn't get much of a rest against the Jazz while leading the Warriors to their highest point total of the season.
Paul Milsap had 15 points and 11 rebounds for Utah. The Jazz played without starting point guard Devin Harris, who was a late scratch due to a strained left hamstring.
Nuggets 112, Clippers 91
Danilo Gallinari scored 21 points, including all five of his 3-pointers, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Clippers 112-91 Thursday night, ending Los Angeles' season-high four-game winning streak that included a victory over the Nuggets last weekend.
Ty Lawson added 18 points, Arron Afflalo 15 and Timofey Mozgov 11 for the Nuggets, who had lost two straight overall and three in a row to the Clippers, their longest active losing streak against any team.
Blake Griffin led the Clippers with 18 points, Chris Paul added 15 points and nine assists, and Caron Butler had 11 after missing Wednesday night's win at Utah with a sore lower back. Earlier Thursday, Griffin and Paul were voted to the starting lineup for the All-Star game, giving the Clippers two players on the team for the first time since 1976.
