LOS ANGELES: Zach Randolph isn’t listed on the All-Star ballot, but the rugged power forward sure played like one on Sunday.
Randolph had 32 points with an NBA season-high 24 rebounds and a game-sealing three-pointer in the final minute as the Grizzlies overcame 41-point effort by league top scorer Carmelo Anthony to beat the visiting Nuggets 102-96.
“Zach was a beast out there tonight,” Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said. “Our guys played hard from the get-go but we had to withstand Anthony.”
Rudy Gay scored 19 points, Spaniard Marc Gasol finished with 14 and 13 rebounds for Memphis (12-15), which ended an eight-game slide against Denver dating back to April 14, 2007.
Playing like teddy bears early in the season, the Grizzlies have roared in December to take the scalps divisional leaders Dallas (Southwest), Cleveland (Central) and now Denver (Northwest).
The Grizzlies outscored the Nuggets 33-19 in the first quarter, and led by as many as 23 before carrying a 61-43 half-time cushion behind 15 points from Gay while Randolph had 10 with 13 boards.
With Anthony erupting for 25 second-half points, the Nuggets closed to 90-88 on his 18-foot jumper with 3:21 remaining. But that’s as close as they would get.
After Denver’s J R Smith misfired a potential go-ahead three, Randolph grabbed Gasol’s miss and converted a three-point play with 2:19 to go. Mike Conley followed with a lay-up, making it 95-88. Anthony Carter’s triple pulled the Nuggets to within four.
However, Gay buried a 20-foot jumper and Randolph hit the game-clinching three with 43 second left, making it 100-91. “They got it all the way down to two points, but we just kept battling,” Hollins said.
Brazilian Nene scored 19 points for the Nuggets (19-9) losers of two in a row and overall and four straight on the road since losing floor leader Chauncey Billups to a groin injury.
Lakers 93, Detroit 81: Kobe Bryant scored 28 points; Andrew Bynum added 16 and the Lakers completed a 4-1 road trip. Spaniard Pau Gasol had 13 points and 11 boards, Ron Artest contributed 14 points, nine assists and six steals for the defending NBA champions, who moved to a league-best 22-4 record following their 15th win in the last 16 games. Rodney Stuckey had 16 points in the Pistons (11-16) fifth straight loss.
Celtics 122, Timberwolves 104: Paul Pierce was perfect on all six threes en route to 29 points, Rajon Rondo had 15 points with 13 assists in the Celtics’ 12th win in the last 13 games. Rookie Jonny Flynn had 21 points, Al Jefferson had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the visiting T-Wolves (5-23) who failed to win consecutive games for the first time this season.
Mavericks 102, Cavaliers 95: Tim Thomas scored 22 points in place of injured star Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry added 19 off the bench, and the short-handed Mavericks won for the sixth time in the last seven games. The German wunderkind sat out the contest with a sore right elbow as a result of a nasty collision with Houston’s Carl Landry on Friday night. LeBron James scored 25 for the Cavaliers (20-8) whose five-game winning streak came to an end in the opener of a four-game road trip.
Raptors 98, Hornets 92: Chris Bosh collected 25 points with 11 rebounds, Italian Andrea Bargnani had 13 and 11 boards as the host Raptors (13-17) dropped the Hornets to 2-11 on the road David West topped New Orleans (12-14) with 21 points and 12 boards.
Trail Blazers 102, Miami Heat 95: Brandon Roy had 11 of his 28 points in the final quarter, and LaMarcus Aldridge added 23, leading the visiting Trail Blazers (17-12) to their third straight win. Dwyane Wade had 28 points with 10 assists, Quentin Richardson hit all seven threes en route to 22 points for Miami (13-12) which had its modest two-game run snapped.
Knicks 98, Bobcats 94: Wilson Chandler scored 26 points, Italian sharpshooter Danilo Gallinari added 21 while David Lee had 15 with 15 rebounds as the Knicks won for the sixth time in the last eight games. Raymond Felton had 27 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists as the Bobcats (10-16) fell to 1-12 on the road.
