In National Basketball Association action Friday, Richard Hamilton scored a season-high 40 points to lead the Detroit Pistons past former coach Larry Brown and the New York Knicks 106-98.
The game was Brown's first in Detroit since he parted ways with the Pistons in July after two seasons as their coach. Detroit improved to an NBA best 12-2 record while Brown's new team, the Knicks, fell to 5-10.
In Sacramento, Alonzo Mourning blocked seven shots in a dominant defense effort as the Miami Heat defeated the host Kings 98-87.
Dwyane Wade had 27 points and seven assists for Miami, which won its fourth straight game. The team continues to be without injured star Shaquille O'Neal.
In Washington, Maurice Williams had a career-high 35 points, including the game winning three-pointer at the buzzer, as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the host Wizards 105-102.
Elsewhere in the NBA, the Toronto Raptors edged the Atlanta Hawks 102-101, the Chicago Bulls got past the Boston Celtics 106-102, the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Orlando Magic 91-69 and the Phoenix Suns beat the Denver Nuggets 102-97. The New Orleans Hornets beat the Philadelphia 76ers 88-86, the Indiana Pacers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 98-78, the Minnesota Timberwolves downed the Los Angeles Lakers 113-108, the Seattle Supersonics held off the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-108 and the Golden State Warriors beat the Charlotte Bobcats 107-100.
Some information for this report provided by AFP and AP.
