Miami beats Kings to snap losing streak

MIAMI: Miami broke an 11-game NBA losing streak by beating the Sacramento Kings 107-86 on Tuesday.

Shawn Marion scored 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting and Udonis Haslem added 17 for the Heat, who won for just the second time in their past 28 games - and did so in style, with their largest margin of the season.

Miami held Sacramento to 10 percent shooting (2-for-20) in the third quarter, a Heat franchise record. The Heat held a 31-11 edge in that period, the first time in more than a year Miami outscored a foe by at least 20 points in a quarter.

Miami became the final NBA team this season to reach a meager 10 wins.

In Los Angeles, the home team won its ninth straight by downing Portland.

Kobe Bryant scored 11 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, and the Lakers held the Trail Blazers to 36 percent field-goal shooting.

The win kept Los Angeles a game clear atop the Pacific Division and Western Conference. The Blazers have lost eight of their past nine to drift 5-1/2 game off the playoff spots.

In Oakland, California, Monta Ellis scored 30 points to lead Golden State over Seattle.

Austin Croshere added 14 in the decisive third quarter without missing a shot for the Warriors.

In East Rutherford, New Jersey, Orlando won its third straight with victory over New Jersey.

Hedo Turkoglu scored 17 his 25 points in the fourth quarter as Orlando ran its streak of 100-point games to nine.

In Memphis, Tennessee, Steve Nash had 25 points and 13 assists to spearhead Phoenix's win over Memphis.

Shaquille O'Neal added 13 points to go along with 11 rebounds for the Sun despite sitting out the fourth quarter. It was O'Neal's first double-double since joining Phoenix.

In Houston, the loss of Yao Ming for the rest of the season did not prevent Houston notching a 13th straight win by beating Washington.

Luther Head had 18 points for the Rockets, who must adjust to life without Yao, who will miss the remainder of the campaign due to a stress fracture in the foot.

Houson is on its longest winning streak since its championship season of 1993-94, and is now just two games off the top of the Southwest Division.

In Milwaukee, Michael Redd hit a winning 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded to give Milwaukee victory over Cleveland.

Cleveland's LeBron James had just hit a tying layup with 5.9 seconds left when Redd launched a 27-foot shot from the left side that sailed through the basket with 0.1 seconds remaining on the clock. After a replay review, officials ruled the shot good.

In Minneapolis, the Minnesota Timberwolves forced 24 turnovers and held the Jazz to 6-for-21 shooting in the final quarter to get its first win against a Northwest Division team.

Agencies

(China Daily 02/28/2008 page22)