Philadelphia refuses to give protected home to Hornets
PHILADELPHIA Allen Iverson didn't have to do all the scoring this time.
Coming off a brilliant 55-point performance in the series opener, Iverson had 29 and Kenny Thomas had 17 points and 16 rebounds, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a 90-85 victory over the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday night.
The 76ers lead 2-0 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal. Game 3 is Saturday in New Orleans.
The guys knew what they had to do to get over the hump,'' Iverson said. It makes it that much easier on me, takes more pressure off me and lets me concentrate on the defensive end.''
Derrick Coleman had 12 points and six assists and Keith Van Horn added 11 points for the Sixers. Thomas, Van Horn and Coleman Philadelphia's starting frontcourt scored 11 points combined in Game 1. They got 40 Wednesday night.
We knew we had to contribute more,'' Van Horn said. We knew they would focus more on Allen, and we had to contribute.''
David Wesley had 24 points and Robert Pack 15 for New Orleans. Jamal Mashburn scored 14, but he had only one point after chipping a bone in his right middle finger and dislocating it. He sat out the final 6:49.
The Hornets were without Baron Davis, their second-leading scorer, who was out with a left knee injury. He and Mashburn are day-to-day.
Pistons 89, Magic 77
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. Tracy McGrady didn't get enough help from his friends.
McGrady scored 46 points, but five Detroit Pistons scored in double figures as they beat the Orlando Magic 89-77 in Game 2 Wednesday to even their first-round playoff series.
Richard Hamilton had 30 points one game after scoring 28 in his playoff debut. Detroit's Chauncey Billups had 15, Corliss Williamson added 13, Ben Wallace, who won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award earlier in the day, scored 10 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, and Cliff Robinson scored 10.
McGrady's teammates combined for just 31 points.
The NBA's leading scorer broke the Magic playoff scoring record he set Sunday with 43 points. His 46-point performance also tied The Palace scoring record in any game shared by Shaquille O'Neal, Jerry Stackhouse and Grant Hill. Game 3 is Friday in Orlando.
Mavericks 103, Trail Blazers 99
DALLAS Rather than riding a huge night from Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks got key plays from him, Steve Nash and Michael Finley. Dallas overcame a career-high 45 points by Bonzi Wells and takes a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven matchup to Portland for Game 3 on Friday night.
The Trail Blazers have lost nine straight playoff games dating to 2000, and are halfway to getting swept out of the playoffs for the fourth time in five years.
Nowitzki had 25 points, a big drop from a career-best 46 in the opener. But with his sidekicks Nash and Finley (17 points) coming through, the Mavericks were better off.
Wells, who had 18 in the fourth period, was Portland's only threat. The Blazers got only three minutes out of their usual starting backcourt as Scottie Pippen didn't dress and Derek Anderson left with an injury. Both have injured left knees.