Pistons Sputter But Beat Heat to Win Central

Shawn Marion's debut can't turn fortunes of struggling '06 champs

(NEWSER) - Shawn Marion was in the lineup for Miami today, but in the end, the result was the same. This time it was 104-94 against the visiting Los Angeles Lakers, the Heat's 22nd loss in 23 games, reports AP. Kobe Bryant scored 33 points and Lamar Odom was strong on the glass with 18 rebounds. Mark Blount scored 22 for Miami. More»

Suns, Spurs burst back from halftime holes against Bucks, T'wolves

(NEWSER) - Rip Hamilton missed a buzzer beater at the end of regulation in last night's Pistons-Bobcats game, but he redeemed himself by sinking the winning bucket in overtime. Chauncey Billups contributed 27 points to Detroit's 103-100 victory, with Gerald Wallace putting up 26 for Charlotte, the Detroit Free Press reports. Elsewhere on the court: More»

Dwyane Wade backtracks, apologizes

(NEWSER) - Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat is scrambling to apologize after he said a losing streak by the newly LeBron James-enhanced team would "be like the World Trade is coming down again." The original source no longer includes quite that wording, New York notes, and Fanhouse is blaming the discrepancy on a "transcription error." In a statement to the Miami Herald , Wade says, "I was simply trying to say that losing a few basketball games should not be compared to a real catastrophe." More»

(NEWSER) - The Detroit Pistons made just enough shots and stops to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for a sixth straight year. Richard Hamilton scored 19 of his 31 points in the first half, made victory-sealing free throws late in the game and Tayshaun Prince had a key block, helping Detroit hold off the Orlando Magic for a 91-86 win Tuesday night in Game 5 of the second-round series. More»

Hamilton scores 32 and Price adds 17

(NEWSER) - Richard Hamilton scored 32 points and Hedo Turkoglu missed a layup with time running out as the Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 90-89 tonight to take a 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference series. Tayshaun Prince scored 17 for Detroit, including an 11-foot runner for the go-ahead basket with 8.9 seconds left. Rasheed Wallace had 16 points and eight rebounds. Antonio McDyess had eight points and 14 boards. More»