George scored a career-high 24 points to lead the host Indiana Pacers in a 106-99 win over the Nets on Tuesday night.And it’s not the first time George has spoiled things for the Nets. George, who shot 8 of 11 on Tuesday, scored 21 points to lead the Pacers to a 108-94 win against the Nets on Jan. 2.
“I just want to be effective on both sides of the ball and help this team win,” George said. “We picked up the defensive effort and just turned it up.”
Danny Granger had 21 points and 7 rebounds, and Roy Hibbert had 18 points and 14 rebounds, his ninth double-double of the year.
Deron Williams scored 34 points for the Nets, who have lost two straight over all and nine in a row against the Pacers.
George’s reverse dunk off Lou Amundson’s steal gave the Pacers an 84-72 lead at the end of the third quarter. But the Nets pulled to 3 points behind late in the fourth quarter after a 15-2 run in which Anthony Morrow scored 11 of his 28 points.
“Our team got down 12 or 14 points, but we kept battling and then we got within striking distance,” Nets Coach Avery Johnson said. “Unfortunately, the ball just popped out on us.”
CELTICS 93, CAVALIERS 90 Paul Pierce scored 20 points, Ray Allen had 12 in the third quarter and Boston avenged a disappointing loss to Cleveland two days earlier by holding off the host Cavaliers.
The Celtics, who blew an 11-point lead at home Sunday in the final four minutes and lost by a point, led by 22 late in the third quarter. However, the Cavaliers rallied again behind the rookie Kyrie Irving and pulled to 2 points behind on his twisting layup with 1 minute 18 seconds left. But Kevin Garnett dropped in a short jumper and Pierce made two free throws with 2.6 seconds left as the Celtics avoided further embarrassment.
HAWKS 100, RAPTORS 77 Joe Johnson needed only three quarters to match his season high with 30 points, Tracy McGrady scored 15 against his former team and Atlanta recorded its sixth straight victory over Toronto, which lost its third in a row at home. Johnson, Atlanta’s leading scorer, has averaged 30 points in his past four games against Toronto.
Jerryd Bayless scored 14 points for the Raptors, who have gone 5-9 while playing an N.B.A.-high 14 road games. They are only 2-6 at home.
GRIZZLIES 100, NUGGETS 97 O. J. Mayo scored 18 points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 35 seconds left in overtime, as host Memphis ended a four-game losing streak.
Mayo’s basket gave Memphis a 98-97 lead, and two free throws by Mike Conley with 8 seconds left gave the Grizzlies the final margin. Rudy Fernandez’s potential tying 3-point attempt in the closing seconds for Denver bounced off the rim, sending the Nuggets to their second straight loss.
JACKSON PLANS MEMOIR Phil Jackson’s next title will be on the cover of his new book. Penguin Press said that Jackson, the Hall of Famer who won 11 N.B.A. titles as the coach of the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers, is writing his memoir, which is called “Eleven Rings.” The book is tentatively scheduled for release next year.
Jackson, 66, won 1,155 games and has a career .704 winning percentage, the best in N.B.A. history. He retired from coaching last season after the Lakers were swept in the playoffs by the eventual champion Dallas Mavericks.
BLAZERS FORWARD HURT Portland forward Nicolas Batum has a left knee bone contusion that will keep him out of Wednesday night’s game against Charlotte. Batum had to be helped off the court after sustaining the injury Monday night against Utah. He said he had thought the injury would keep him from representing France in the Olympics.
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: January 31, 2012
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