O.J. Mayo scored 22 points, including a key 3-pointer with 17 seconds left, and the visiting Memphis Grizzlies prevented Oklahoma City from tying for the NBA's best record by beating the Thunder 94-88 on Monday night.
Oklahoma City had pulled within a game of league-leading Chicago by blowing out the Bulls a day earlier, but the Grizzlies took the lead just after halftime and hung on to snap the Thunder's six-game winning streak.
Tony Allen added 15 points and Marc Gasol scored 13 for the Grizzlies, who were without starting point guard Mike Conley (Lawrence North) for a second straight game because of a sore right ankle.
Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 21 points and Russell Westbrook scored 19, with 12 coming as Oklahoma City tried to rally in the fourth quarter.
Clippers 94, Mavericks 75
Randy Foye had 28 points with a career-high eight 3-pointers and visiting Los Angeles won its sixth consecutive game.
Blake Griffin had 15 points and 16 rebounds for the Clippers, who last won six in a row in March 1992. Griffin had scored 20 points in each of the previous six games.
Rockets 99, Bulls 93
Goran Dragic scored 21 points, Luis Scola added 18 points and 12 rebounds, and visiting Houston gave Chicago back-to-back losses for the first time this season.
The Rockets trailed by as many as 15 points in the first half and were down 13 in the third, but they went on a 14-1 run to tie it at 62 late in the quarter, then had a 17-2 burst in the final minute of the third to take an 84-72 lead.
Bucks 112, Wizards 98
Brandon Jennings scored 17 of his 19 points in the third quarter and visiting Milwaukee pulled within two games of the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot.
Mega Millions crazy
Washington Wizards rookie Chris Singleton said it was worth buying $10,000 in tickets for last week's Mega Millions lottery, adding it was "either that or blowing it in the clubs."
Singleton didn't win a share of the record-breaking top prize, but he said Monday that he did win some money. He's not sure how much because he hasn't gone through all of his tickets yet.
Accusations fly
Cablevision and Madison Square Garden are pushing back against criticism that news of Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin's knee injury was withheld until after a ticket-buying deadline had passed.
The team announced Saturday that Lin would miss the rest of the season. On Monday, New York Daily News writer Frank Isola said medical testing had shown the injury earlier but the team held off announcing it to get past the deadline for season ticket holders to buy playoff tickets for all rounds. Lin's play has been credited with spurring interest in the team and the Knicks are in contention for a playoff spot.
Cablevision and MSG refuted the story and said any suggestion connecting the announcement with ticket sales is a "malicious attack."
Injuries
Lakers C Andrew Bynum left in the first quarter of Sunday's 120-112 win over the Golden State Warriors, spraining his left ankle while coming down on the foot of teammate Josh McRoberts (Carmel/Pacers). X-rays came back negative, Bynum got treatment Monday and is listed as day-to-day ahead of today's home game against the Nets. . . . Bulls star Derrick Rose missed his 11th straight game Monday against the Rockets because of an injured right groin. . . . . . . . The Mavericks were without G Jason Kidd (groin) and F Lamar Odom (stomach illness) for their game against the Clippers. . . . Cavs G Daniel Gibson is having surgery to repair a torn tendon in his left foot and ankle.
Source: http://www.indystar.com/article/20120403/SPORTS/204030349/NBA-roundup-O-J-Mayo-led-Grizzlies-keep-Thunder-from-tying-NBA-s-best-record
