Rasheed Wallace and Allen Iverson each poured in 25 points as all five starters scored in double-figures in the Detroit Pistons' 106-95 triumph over the Los Angeles Lakers. Wallace made eight out of 15 shots from the field, including four three-pointers, and pulled down 13 rebounds to earn his fifth double-double of the season as the Pistons handed the Lakers (7-1) their first loss of the new campaign.
Carmelo Anthony collected 18 points and 13 rebounds as the Denver Nuggets handed the Boston Celtics their first home loss of the season with a 94-85 win. The newcomer Chauncey Billups added 18 points for the Nuggets, who finished the game on a 10-1 run to secure their fourth win in five games since acquiring the former NBA Finals MVP. Shaquille O'Neal had 29 points and 13 rebounds and Grant Hill added 22 points before Amare Stoudemire's overtime heroics - he poured in the crucial jump shot and made two blocks in the final seconds - as the Phoenix Suns claimed a 97-95 win over the Sacramento Kings.
The San Antonio Spurs unleashed a fourth-quarter surge to stun the Houston Rockets 77-75, with Tim Duncan pouring in 22 points and grabbing five rebounds. Rashard Lewis led the way with 23 points and nine rebounds, while Dwight Howard added 18 and 13 as the Orlando Magic escaped with a 102-100 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Elsewhere, Richard Jefferson scored 26 points and Ramon Sessions added 20 as the Milwaukee Bucks held off the Memphis Grizzlies 101-96 in overtime and the New Orleans Hornets survived a late scare from the Portland Trail Blazers as Chris Paul buried three free throws with less than a second left in a thrilling 87-82 triumph late on Friday.
Jamal Crawford scored 29 points as the New York Knicks held off a late rally by the Oklahoma City Thunder en route to a 116-106 victory, while the Philadelphia 76ers rebounded from a 26-point deficit to beat the Indiana Pacers 94-92, with Thaddeus Young scoring 25 points. Gerald Wallace had 22 points, nine rebounds and three steals as the Charlotte Bobcats defeated the Utah Jazz 104-96, Dwayne Wade led a balanced attack as the Miami Heat recorded a 97-77 rout of the Washington Wizards and Devin Harris, Vince Carter and Brook Lopez combined for 81 points as the New Jersey Nets downed the Atlanta Hawks 115-108.
* PA Sport