Heat Rip Nets while Pistons Edge Lakers in OT
LeBron James scored 21 points and Chris Bosh added 20 to lead the host Miami Heat past the New Jersey Nets 108-78 on Tuesday while the Detroit Pistons edged the Los Angeles Lakers 88-85 in over-time.
Miami snapped a two-game losing streak in overwhelming fashion. Bosh scored 16 points in the first half while James added 10 and Dwyane Wade scored all 13 of his points in the first half.
The Heat rolled to a 64-37 half-time lead, ripping the Nets 30-17 in the first quarter and outscoring them by even more, 34-20, in the second quarter on the way to a lopsided rout.
Deron Williams scored 16 points to lead the Nets, who fell to 12-27, last in the Atlantic division.
The biggest drama of the night came in Detroit, where the host Pistons outlasted the Lakers.
Lakers star Kobe Bryant sank a jump shot from the right side with .1 of a second to play in regulation time to send the Lakers and Pistons into over-time deadlocked at 78-78.
Spanish star Pau Gasol sank a jumper to give the Lakers an 85-84 lead but Tayshaun Prince answered with a jumper to put Detroit ahead and Rodney Stuckey added two free throws with 36 seconds to play to create the final margin. Bryant missed a shot at tying 3-pointer and the Pistons held on for the victory.
The Lakers fell to 23-15, falling percentage points behind the Los Angeles Clippers in the fight for the Pacific division lead as their three-game win streak was snapped.
Andrew Bynum led the Lakers with 30 points and 14 rebounds while Bryant finished with 22 points and Gasol contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Stuckey led Detroit with 34 points while Jason Maxiel had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Pistons, who improved to 13-26, still last in the Central division.
Source: Agence France Presse
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