Carmelo Anthony scored a game-high 26 points and J.R. Smith netted 16 points, six rebounds and four assists as the New York Knicks outlasted the Detroit Pistons, 102-87, at the O2 Arena in London. Amar'e Stoudemire contributed 17 points and Steve Novak added 13 points on 3- of-6 shooting from 3-point range for the Knicks, who have now won two straight games after a three-game skid last week. Will Bynum led Detroit with 22 points - 18 of which came in the second half - on 10-of-16 shooting from the field. Kyle Singler registered 15 points and four assists for the Pistons, who have lost two straight.
Final Score: LA Clippers 90, Minnesota 77
Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Jamal Crawford scored a game-high 22 points as the Los Angeles Clippers continued to roll without star guard Chris Paul with a 90-77 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center. Paul, who was named a starter for the Western Conference in the upcoming All- Star Game on Thursday, missed the last three games with a bruised knee and Los Angeles has not missed a beat, winning all three contests. Blake Griffin added 20 points in this one, while Ronny Turiaf and Matt Barnes contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively, off the bench. Luke Ridnour paced Minnesota with 21 points and Andrei Kirilenko followed with 15 in the Timberwolves' fifth straight loss. Ricky Rubio made his first start of the season while still recovering from a pair of torn ligaments in his left knee and recorded four points and six assists.
Final Score: Milwaukee 98, Phoenix 94
Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - The Milwaukee Bucks accomplished something on Thursday they hadn't since Ronald Reagan was in the Oval Office. Monta Ellis scored a game-high 24 points and the Bucks used a late run in the fourth quarter to beat the Suns in Phoenix, 98-94, for the first time since Feb. 21, 1987. Larry Sanders had a career-high 19 points with 15 rebounds and recorded two big blocks during the Bucks' game-sealing 10-0 run. Brandon Jennings and Mike Dunleavy each netted 16 points in Milwaukee's fourth win in six games. The Suns had won 24 straight as the hosts in this series, including all 19 contests at US Airways Center, which opened in 1992. Shannon Brown paced Phoenix, which has dropped four straight at home for the first time since March 2004, with 20 points, while Luis Scola added 16 points and eight boards in defeat.
