Associated Press
The NBA roundup …
CHARLOTTEó Raja Bell scored 25 points, Emeka Okafor added 20 points and 15 rebounds and the Charlotte Bobcats continued their improved play in a 101-86 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.
Raymond Felton scored 19 points and Gerald Wallace had 13 points and nine rebounds for the Bobcats, who have won four of five games and 10 of 17 following a trade that brought Bell and Boris Diaw from Phoenix.
They had to work to send the Grizzlies to their seventh straight loss, finally pulling away in the fourth quarter despite Rudy Gay’s 26 points.
Gay got little help, as O.J. Mayo was held to 13 points ó six below his average ó and Memphis couldn’t overcome 21 turnovers in falling to 2-16 on the road.
Pistons 95, Raptors 76
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. ó Tayshaun Prince scored 12 of his 25 points in the third quarter, helping the Detroit Pistons pull away from the Toronto Raptors in a 95-76 win Wednesday night.
The Pistons used Richard Hamilton as a reserve after the All-Star shooting guard started his first 611 games, including the playoffs, in his seven seasons with the team.
Detroit coach Michael Curry inserted 6-foot-9 forward Amir Johnson in place of Hamilton and kept superstar Allen Iverson in the starting lineup.
Hamilton scored seven points in his first game off the bench since Feb. 1, 2002, when he was playing for the Washington Wizards. The next year, he was traded for Jerry Stackhouse.
Celtics 98, Heat 83
MIAMI ó Eddie House scored 20 points ó more than he’d managed in any game this season ó in the second quarter, finishing with 25 and Boston ran its winning streak to six games.
Rockets 108, Jazz 99
HOUSTON ó Yao Ming had 19 points and 12 rebounds, Rafer Alston scored 23 and Houston won for the sixth time in seven games.
Deron Williams had 32 points and 11 assists for the Jazz.
Knicks 114, Suns 109
NEW YORK ó Nate Robinson made up for a momentum-shifting technical foul with 20 points for the Knicks, and Tim Thomas scored all 10 of his points in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter.
Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni got his first win against his former team. The Suns won 111-103 on Dec. 15 in Phoenix.
Bucks 133, Mavericks 99
MILWAUKEE ó Charlie Villanueva had 32 points and 10 rebounds and Michael Redd added 27 points, lifting Milwaukee to the victory.
Hornets 102, Nets 92
NEW ORLEANS ó Hornets star Chris Paul narrowly missed his fifth triple-double of the season with 29 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
Peja Stojakovic had 20 points and 10 rebounds for New Orleans.
Vince Carter scored 20 for the Nets, who lost their fourth straight.