Associated Press
The NBA roundup …
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. ó The Detroit Pistons are starting to look like the Detroit Lions ó they’re always a wreck on Sunday.
For the fourth Sunday in a row, the Pistons played like their hapless NFL counterparts, losing 96-85 to the Portland Trail Blazers.
“Other than asking the league not to schedule us for any more Sundays, there’s nothing I can do about this,” Pistons coach Michael Curry said.
While the Pistons are 10-2 during the rest of the week, they have been outscored by an average of 17 points while losing all four Sunday games.
Portland’s young starting lineup dominated Detroit’s first five, outscoring them 74-52.
“This was a gritty effort,” said Portland coach Nate McMillan. “When you go into Detroit and beat them, it is going to be with a gritty effort.”
LaMarcus Aldridge led Portland with 27 points, while Brandon Roy added 19 and Greg Oden finished with 10 points and a career-high 13 rebounds in the Blazers’ fourth straight win.
Bulls 103, 76ers 92
PHILADELPHIA ó Ben Gordon scored 21 points, Drew Gooden had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Chicago rallied from an early deficit to beat Philadelphia.
Derrick Rose, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, contributed 18 points and 10 assists. Reserve Larry Hughes had 16 points for the Bulls (8-9) in the final stop on a seven-game, 12-day road trip which began Nov. 18 in Los Angeles against the Lakers. All three of Chicago’s road wins came on the trip.
Elton Brand had 21 points and 12 rebounds, and Thaddeus Young added 17 points for the reeling Sixers, who have lost four straight to fall to 7-10. Andre Miller had 15 points and 10 assists, and Willie Green chipped in with 12 points.
Nuggets 104, Rockets 94
DENVER ó The Denver Nuggets didn’t need Carmelo Anthony’s usual double-digit performance to beat the Houston Rockets 104-94.
Chauncey Billups scored 28 points, including 11 in a 19-7 third-quarter run the Nuggets used to break away from the Rockets, who played their third straight game without injured star Tracy McGrady (sore left foot).
Nets 117, Suns 109
PHOENIX ó Devin Harris scored a career-high 47 points, including 21 in the fourth quarter, and the New Jersey Nets ended their 14-game losing streak at Phoenix by rallying to beat the Suns 117-109.
The Nets had not won at US Airways Center since their first visit in 1993.
Harris, whose previous high was 38, hit 14 of 25 field goals and 17 of 17 free throws in a dazzling performance.
Vince Carter added 28 points for New Jersey.
Steve Nash, who missed Friday’s game because of a thigh contusion, led the Suns with 26 points and nine assists.