Portland tastes 1st road victory

MEMPHIS, Tennessee: Travis Outlaw scored 21 points, including the winning six-foot runner as the buzzer sounded, to give Portland its first road victory of the season, 106-105 over Memphis on Monday.

Officials reviewed the basket after the game not only to see if Outlaw got the shot off in time, but also whether the clock started properly when Portland inbounded the ball with 2.8 seconds left.

Outlaw took the inbounds pass near midcourt and drove the right side on Mike Miller before firing the off-balance bank shot. Outlaw scored the last seven points for the Trail Blazers over the game's final 56 seconds.

It was Outlaw's second buzzer-beater of the game as his 30-footer at the horn cut Memphis' lead to 80-78 at the end of three quarters.

Rudy Gay had 30 points, including a sweeping rebound tip with 2.8 seconds left to give Memphis the lead before Outlaw's winning basket.

Miller had a season-high 30 points for the Grizzlies.

Brandon Roy had 26 points and nine assists for Portland, which had lost its first nine road games this season.

At Philadelphia, Josh Smith scored 22 points and Marvin Williams and Josh Childress both added 16 as Atlanta snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 88-79 victory at Philadelphia.

Joe Johnson scored 15 points and Al Horford had 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Hawks, who last won at Philadelphia on March 21, 2003. Atlanta improved to 3-5 on the road this season.

Willie Green scored a season-high 23 points while Andre Miller added 18 for the Sixers, who lost for the 10th time in the last 13 games.

Philadelphia was 2-of-11 from three-point range. Over the last three games, the Sixers have hit just 5-of-37 3-pointers, including an 0-for-14 effort in last Friday's one-point win over Washington.

At Chicago, Josh Howard scored 27 points and Dirk Nowitzki added 25 for Dallas, which saw a 16-point fourth-quarter lead dwindle to three as it edged the Bulls 103-100.

Andres Nocioni hit three free throws to pull Chicago within 101-98 with 11.6 seconds left. Jason Terry answered with two free throws for Dallas, and Chicago's Kirk Hinrich shot an airball on a three-pointer from the corner.

Howard also had 10 rebounds and six assists. Erick Dampier added 10 rebounds and six blocks, and Terry scored 18 points.

Hinrich, who was benched in favor of Chris Duhon to start the second half, scored 14 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter.

Nocioni had 14 of his 30 points in the fourth, and his two free throws and jumper pulled Chicago within 93-87 with 1:29 left.

At Salt Lake City, Mehmet Okur scored 25 points, including four three-pointers, to lead Utah past Miami 110-101.

AFP

(China Daily 12/05/2007 page20)