Mavericks hand Pistons their first loss
LAST NIGHT IN THE NBA
PISTONS at MAVERICKS: Josh Howard scored 26 points and Dirk Nowitzki had 23 as the Dallas Mavericks handed the Detroit Pistons their first loss of the season, 119- 82. The Pistons, the NBA’s last unbeaten team, opened the season with eight wins to match the second-best start in franchise history, trailing only the 9-0 mark set in 1970- 71. The Pistons also started 8- 0 in 1988- 89 en route to the first of their two straight NBA titles. Richard Hamilton had 18 points to lead Detroit. SUNS at SPURS:
Tony Parker hit a soft runner in the lane over Steve Nash with 35 seconds to go, and the San Antonio Spurs held on for a 97- 91 victory over the Phoenix Suns.
Parker forced Nash to take an errant shot on the next possession, then calmly hit two free throws to seal the Spurs’ win. Tim Duncan had 24 points and 13 rebounds for his league- leading eighth double- double for the Spurs. CAVALIERS at SIXERS: LeBron James had 36 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his first triple- double of the season, rallying the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 123- 120 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. The Cavaliers won their seventh straight. Mary Carey, the former porn star who ran for governor of California last year, attended the game. HORNETS at MAGIC: David West scored a career-high 34 points and Chris Paul added 21, leading the New Orleans Hornets to a 98- 95 victory over the Orlando Magic. New Orleans won despite missing centre P. J. Brown and guards J. R. Smith and Speedy Claxton. Brown, attending his mother- in- law’s funeral, missed his second consecutive game. WIZARDS at NETS:
Vince Carter scored 19 points and Richard Jefferson had 16 points and 13 rebounds, leading the New Jersey Nets to an 89- 83 victory over Washington. GRIZZLIES at JAZZ:
Damon Stoudamire scored 14 points, including a game- closing five straight, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Utah Jazz 80- 72 for their fourth straight victory. BOBCATS at T- WOLVES:
Kevin Garnett had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Michael Olowokandi scored a season- high 18 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves overcame a slow start and beat the Charlotte Bobcats 102- 89. Associated Press