Roundup: Nets end eight-game skid, trap Bobcats for fifth win of season

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- If only the Nets could play the Bobcats more, the worst record in NBA history might not be in jeopardy.

Courtney Lee scored 21 points, Devin Harris added 17 and New Jersey never trailed in beating Charlotte 103-94 on Tuesday night for only its fifth win of the season.

Two of them have come against the Bobcats, who were the first team to lose to the Nets after their 0-18 start.

Brook Lopez added 16 points before fouling out for the energized Nets (5-48), who snapped an eight-game losing streak, improved to 2-27 on the road and moved ahead of the pace of the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers, who finished an NBA-worst 9-73.

Gerald Wallace had 21 points and 10 rebounds and Boris Diaw had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Bobcats, who allowed the NBA's worst-shooting and lowest-scoring team to shoot 52 percent.

It was a miserable performance to end the All-Star break for the Bobcats (26-26), who entered the night 19-6 at home and in sixth place in the Eastern Conference as they eye the first playoff berth in franchise history. Full story

Heat 105, 76ers 78

PHILADELPHIA -- Dwyane Wade scored 24 points and the Miami Heat cruised to an easy victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jermaine O'Neal added 20 points for Miami, which won its third straight.

Philadelphia welcomed back Allen Iverson, who returned after missing five games to help care for his ill daughter, Messiah. Iverson came off the bench and shot 1 for 7 from the field for four points.

Thaddeus Young led the 76ers with 16 points, and Andre Iguodala added 11.

Pistons 108, Timberwolves 85

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Jonas Jerebko led a balanced offense with 21 points and the Detroit Pistons pulled away in the second half to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Detroit won for the third time in four games, while Minnesota dropped its third in a row. The Timberwolves fell to 4-26 on the road.

The Pistons had five players in double figures and got at least two points from all 12. Kevin Love paced Minnesota with 22 points and 15 rebounds.

The game was tied at 52 after an offense-dominated first half. The Pistons shot 57 percent, while Minnesota hit 53 percent of their shots.

Bulls 118, Knicks 85

CHICAGO -- Derrick Rose made it look easy despite a bruised right hip, hitting his first nine shots and scoring 29 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a victory over the New York Knicks.

Still sore from a hard foul by Orlando's Dwight Howard last week, Rose shook it off with a dominant performance as the Bulls matched their most lopsided win of the season and handed the Knicks their fourth straight loss and 13th in 17 games.

Rose buried all seven shots while scoring 15 in the first quarter and was 14 for 18 in all, just missing his sixth 30-point game.

Luol Deng added 18, Kirk Hinrich scored 14, and Chicago shot a season-high 60.5 percent.

Lakers 104, Warriors 94

LOS ANGELES -- Shannon Brown set career highs with 27 points and 10 rebounds while starting in place of the injured Kobe Bryant, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors.

Andrew Bynum added 21 points and seven rebounds in his return to the lineup after missing two games because of a bruised right hip that still gives him discomfort. He was 8 for 11 from the field in 30 minutes.

Brown made his third start and had his first career double-double, scoring eight points in the final 1:13 while Bryant sat out his fourth straight game because of a sprained left ankle.

The defending NBA champions have won all four games they've played without Bryant, who also was unable to play in the All-Star game.

Trail Blazers 109, Clippers 87

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Martell Webster scored 28 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 22 as the Portland Trail Blazers cruised to a victory over the Los Angeles Clippers a few hours after the teams made a deal.

Webster tied a career high by hitting seven 3-pointers, including four in the first half, to lead the Trail Blazers. Aldridge made nine of 16 shots and grabbed nine rebounds. Andre Miller had 10 points and 12 assists, while Rudy Fernandez scored 15 points.

Portland's Brandon Roy, who missed 15 games because of a pulled right hamstring, had a mixed performance in his first appearance since Jan. 20. The All-Star guard shot 2 of 7 and scored four points in 15 minutes during the first half, but sat out the second half due to a recurrence of the hamstring injury.

Eric Gordon scored 20 points and Rasual Butler 18 for slumping Los Angeles, which lost its fifth consecutive game, and ninth in 10 games.