EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Steve Nash scored nine of his career-high 42 points in the second overtime and Boris Diaw hit a go-ahead shot in the lane with 14 seconds left to lead the Phoenix Suns to their eighth straight victory, a 161-157 decision over the New Jersey Nets on Thursday night.
The wild shootout in the highest-scoring game in the NBA this season also saw Nets point guard Jason Kidd tie Wilt Chamberlain for third place with his 78th career triple-double. Kidd finished with 38 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists, but the point guard dribbled the ball off his foot with 10 seconds left, costing the Nets a chance to tie.
Shawn Marion added 33 points, Raja Bell had 24 and Amare Stoudemire 23 for the Suns, who made an NBA season-high 17 3-pointers, including a remarkable one by Nash at the end of regulation that tied the score and forced the overtime.
Pistons 92, Mavericks 82
DALLAS – Rasheed Wallace scored most of his 19 points on five 3-pointers, including back-to-back shots that he emphatically celebrated during a third-quarter spree, leading the Detroit Pistons to a 92-82 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night.
The Pistons looked far more like a team that recently won eight straight than a club that had lost its last two. They grabbed control early and never let the Mavericks get as close as six points until there was 1:17 left.
Dallas didn’t score again, though, to lose for the second time in three games since a 13-game winning streak. The Mavericks also ended a 22-game home winning streak over Eastern Conference teams, dating to Jan. 29, 2005.
Wallace scored 10 points in the first quarter and had nine more in the third, all coming after a Dallas rally. They came in a flurry, too – three 3-pointers in a span of four possessions. He followed the second one by jabbing his right index finger and screaming, “Pow!” After banking in the next one, putting the Pistons up by 16, he repeatedly hollered, “I called that!”
Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 29 points and nine rebounds, but missed a 3-pointer that could’ve gotten the Mavs within in the final minute.
AP-ES-12-07-06 2244EST
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