Times wires
NEW YORK - Carmelo Anthony had 39 points in a game he had called "almost a must win" as the Knicks defeated the Magic 113-106 in overtime.
Orlando center Dwight Howard had 29 points and 18 rebounds but fouled out in the extra session, then picked up his league-high 17th technical foul.
He picked up his sixth foul with 1:17 left in a two-point game, then tossed the ball into the backcourt after the whistle.
"I think that should have been a delay of game," he said of the tech. "...I'll try to get it rescinded."
Hedo Turkoglu (18 points) also fouled out, leaving the Magic furious with the officiating.
Orlando point guard Jameer Nelson (sprained left knee) and backup forward Quentin Richardson (back spasms) sat out.
WILL FANS STILL WITNESS?: As LeBron James returns to Cleveland to face the Cavaliers tonight for the second time as a member of the Heat, what will the crowd's reaction be this time? "It can't get no worse than it was Dec. 2," James told Miami reporters. "I know that." James, who spurned the Cavs in the offseason to sign with Miami, scored 38 in the Heat's 118-90 win as Cavs fans booed and chanted "Akron hates you" in reference to his hometown. "I don't think it's going to be quite that crazy," Cavs coach Byron Scott said of tonight.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS:Thaddeus Young scored 21 for the 76ers, who held on to top the Bulls 97-85, ending Chicago's 14-game home winning streak. ... Roy Hibbert scored 26 as the host Pacers beat the Celtics 107-100 to stay in sole possession of eighth in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
WNBA: Sheryl Swoopes, who turned 40 last week, signed with Tulsa. She returns to the league after a two-year hiatus.
Knicks 113, Magic 106, OT
ORLANDO (106): Bass 7-9 0-0 14, Turkoglu 5-13 4-7 18, Howard 9-17 11-15 29, Arenas 2-11 4-6 9, J.Richardson 10-20 0-0 24, Duhon 0-0 0-0 0, Anderson 2-7 4-4 10, Clark 1-3 0-0 2, Allen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 36-80 23-32 106.
NEW YORK (113): Anthony 12-26 13-17 39, Stoudemire 6-10 8-10 20, Sha.Williams 2-6 2-2 8, Billups 4-10 6-8 17, Fields 1-3 1-2 3, Douglas 6-17 1-2 16, She.Williams 0-1 0-0 0, Carter 1-2 0-0 2, Walker 2-5 0-0 6, Jeffries 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 35-81 31-41 113.
Orlando182629276-106
New York1830272513-113
3-Point Goals-Orlando 11-32 (Turkoglu 4-8, J.Richardson 4-11, Anderson 2-6, Arenas 1-7), New York 12-35 (Billups 3-9, Douglas 3-10, Walker 2-4, Sha.Williams 2-4, Anthony 2-6, Fields 0-2). Fouled Out-Turkoglu, Clark, Howard, She.Williams. Rebounds-Orlando 57 (Howard 18), New York 52 (Anthony 10). Assists-Orlando 19 (Arenas 5), New York 16 (Billups 6). Total Fouls-Orlando 28, New York 31. Technicals-Howard, Orlando Coach Van Gundy. A-19,763 (19,763).
76ers 97, Bulls 85
PHILADELPHIA (97): Iguodala 7-14 4-5 19, Brand 6-12 1-2 13, Hawes 7-13 0-0 14, Holiday 4-8 3-4 12, Meeks 3-10 0-0 8, Young 10-16 1-2 21, Williams 2-11 6-8 10, Turner 0-0 0-0 0, Speights 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 39-86 15-21 97.
CHICAGO (85): Deng 3-11 4-7 10, Boozer 6-13 3-4 15, Noah 3-7 4-8 10, Rose 12-24 7-9 31, Bogans 2-5 0-0 5, Brewer 2-5 0-2 4, Gibson 2-6 0-0 4, Asik 0-2 0-0 0, Watson 1-3 0-0 2, Korver 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 33-80 18-30 85.
Philadelphia27261628-97
Chicago13242721-85
3-Point Goals-Philadelphia 4-14 (Meeks 2-7, Holiday 1-2, Iguodala 1-3, Williams 0-1, Hawes 0-1), Chicago 1-9 (Bogans 1-2, Korver 0-1, Watson 0-1, Deng 0-2, Rose 0-3). Fouled Out-Hawes. Rebounds-Philadelphia 54 (Brand 9), Chicago 58 (Noah 13). Assists-Philadelphia 24 (Iguodala, Williams 7), Chicago 18 (Rose 5). Total Fouls-Philadelphia 18, Chicago 18. Technicals-Philadelphia defensive three second. A-22,210 (20,917).
Bobcats 87, Bucks 86
MILWAUKEE (86): Delfino 1-7 2-2 5, Mbah a Moute 4-8 3-4 11, Bogut 13-19 0-0 26, Jennings 10-27 4-4 26, Salmons 3-11 2-2 9, Redd 0-3 0-0 0, Sanders 1-3 0-1 2, Dooling 2-6 0-0 5, Gooden 1-6 0-0 2. Totals 35-90 11-13 86.
CHARLOTTE (87): Jackson 8-14 0-0 18, Diaw 3-5 4-6 10, Thomas 3-5 1-3 7, Augustin 4-13 2-2 10, Henderson 7-10 2-4 16, Najera 0-2 0-0 0, Cunningham 2-3 2-2 6, Livingston 1-4 1-2 3, Carroll 3-5 4-5 10, White 1-4 2-2 4, Temple 1-3 0-0 3. Totals 33-68 18-26 87.
Milwaukee26202614-86
Charlotte27182022-87
3-Point Goals-Milwaukee 5-23 (Jennings 2-8, Dooling 1-3, Delfino 1-4, Salmons 1-6, Redd 0-2), Charlotte 3-11 (Jackson 2-6, Temple 1-3, Augustin 0-1, Diaw 0-1). Rebounds-Milwaukee 53 (Jennings, Bogut 9), Charlotte 47 (Thomas 6). Assists-Milwaukee 21 (Salmons 6), Charlotte 25 (Augustin, Diaw 8). Total Fouls-Milwaukee 20, Charlotte 17. Technicals-Milwaukee defensive three second. A-12,368 (19,077).
Pacers 107, Celtics 100
BOSTON (100): Pierce 8-13 4-4 23, Garnett 2-4 2-4 6, Krstic 2-4 3-4 7, Rondo 9-13 4-4 22, Allen 4-8 2-3 11, Davis 7-11 6-8 20, Green 1-3 6-8 8, West 1-5 1-1 3, Pavlovic 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 34-62 28-36 100.
INDIANA (107): Granger 6-12 4-5 18, Hansbrough 2-7 1-2 5, Hibbert 12-17 2-2 26, Collison 8-9 1-1 17, George 0-3 0-0 0, D.Jones 2-5 4-4 8, McRoberts 2-5 2-2 6, Rush 3-8 0-0 8, Price 6-9 1-4 15, Foster 1-2 2-2 4. Totals 42-77 17-22 107.
Boston33163615-100
Indiana27302426-107
3-Point Goals-Boston 4-11 (Pierce 3-4, Allen 1-3, West 0-1, Pavlovic 0-1, Green 0-2), Indiana 6-15 (Price 2-3, Rush 2-4, Granger 2-6, George 0-1, Collison 0-1). Rebounds-Boston 34 (Garnett, Pierce 6), Indiana 42 (Foster 7). Assists-Boston 19 (Rondo 8), Indiana 18 (Granger 4). Total Fouls-Boston 21, Indiana 22. Technicals-Boston defensive three second 2, Indiana defensive three second. A-15,932 (18,165).
Trail Blazers 100, Spurs 92
PORTLAND (100): Batum 3-7 2-2 10, Wallace 5-13 2-3 14, Aldridge 4-10 1-1 9, Miller 9-15 8-10 26, Matthews 4-8 10-12 19, Camby 0-0 0-0 0, Fernandez 3-4 0-0 8, Roy 5-7 1-3 11, Mills 1-1 0-0 3. Totals 34-65 24-31 100.
SAN ANTONIO (92): Jefferson 2-5 2-4 7, Bonner 3-5 0-0 6, Splitter 6-11 2-5 14, Hill 11-20 5-9 27, Anderson 2-4 0-0 5, Blair 1-4 1-2 3, Novak 3-7 0-0 7, Green 3-3 0-0 7, Neal 3-14 0-0 8, Quinn 4-6 0-0 8. Totals 38-79 10-20 92.
Portland2830933-100
San Antonio22292120-92
3-Point Goals-Portland 8-17 (Fernandez 2-2, Batum 2-4, Wallace 2-6, Mills 1-1, Matthews 1-3, Miller 0-1), San Antonio 6-25 (Neal 2-8, Green 1-1, Jefferson 1-3, Anderson 1-3, Novak 1-4, Hill 0-2, Bonner 0-2, Quinn 0-2). Fouled Out-Hill. Rebounds-Portland 46 (Batum 13), San Antonio 43 (Splitter 9). Assists-Portland 15 (Roy 4), San Antonio 16 (Hill 6). Total Fouls-Portland 18, San Antonio 27. Technicals-Neal, San Antonio defensive three second. A-18,583 (18,797).
Wizards 100, Jazz 95, OT
WASHINGTON (100): M.Evans 4-13 2-2 12, Yi 3-8 0-0 6, McGee 4-12 3-4 11, Wall 10-20 8-10 28, Crawford 9-25 6-7 25, Seraphin 3-3 0-0 6, N'diaye 0-0 0-0 0, Martin 2-7 0-0 6, Jeffers 1-4 3-6 6. Totals 36-92 22-29 100.
UTAH (95): Miles 5-18 4-7 17, Millsap 6-13 0-0 12, Jefferson 7-15 1-3 15, Watson 5-9 1-3 13, Bell 1-6 0-0 3, Hayward 6-12 0-0 12, Favors 5-7 1-2 11, Price 2-9 1-4 6, J.Evans 2-4 2-2 6. Totals 39-93 10-21 95.
Washington1635221215-100
Utah2122202210-95
3-Point Goals-Washington 6-26 (M.Evans 2-6, Martin 2-6, Jeffers 1-2, Crawford 1-10, Wall 0-2), Utah 7-24 (Miles 3-12, Watson 2-3, Bell 1-1, Price 1-5, Millsap 0-1, Hayward 0-2). Fouled Out-Yi. Rebounds-Washington 63 (McGee 17), Utah 65 (Jefferson 16). Assists-Washington 14 (Wall 7), Utah 23 (Watson 9). Total Fouls-Washington 25, Utah 25. A-19,724 (19,911).
Playoff chase
EastWLGBGR
1. Chicago-y5319-10
2. Boston-y5121210
3. Miami-x51222-1/29
4. Orlando-x47266-1/29
5. Atlanta-x4232128
6. Philadelphia373616-1/29
7. New York353818-1/29
8. Indiana3242228
Charlotte30422310
Milwaukee29432410
Detroit264727-1/29
WestWLGBGR
1. San Antonio-x5716-9
2. L.A. Lakers-y532049
3. Dallas-x*51215-1/210
4. Oklahoma City-x48248-1/210
5. Denver4429139
6. Portland4231159
7. New Orleans423215-1/28
8. Memphis413316-1/28
Houston3835199
Phoenix*36352011
Utah363821-1/28
y-Clinched division x-Clinched playoffs * Late result not included
