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| December 15, 2001 | Saturday | Ramazan 29, 1422 |
Indiana’s Miller makes difference
INDIANAPOLIS, Dec 14: Houston’s Moochie Norris sent the game into overtime with a long three-pointer, but Indiana’s Reggie Miller made the difference in the extra session as the Pacers handed the Rockets their 12th consecutive loss, 108-106, on Thursday.
Houston squandered an 11-point lead in the third quarter but scrambled to overcome a 96-90 deficit on three-pointers from Cuttino Mobley and Norris to force overtime.
The Pacers took charge in overtime on baskets by Jermaine O’Neal and Jalen Rose, and Miller offset a hook shot by Kenny Thomas with another three-pointer that gave Indiana the lead for good at 105-103 with 1:32 to go.
Miller’s two free throws made it 107-104 with 10.9 seconds left.
The Rockets, mired in their worst losing streak since the 1977-78 season, have not won a game since November 20.
Miller led the Pacers with 25 points.
At Detroit, Latrell Sprewell missed when it mattered the most for the second night in a row as the New York Knicks fell to the Detroit Pistons 99-97.
Sprewell scored eight fourth-quarter points but could not convert a pair of runners in the final 28 seconds, including a potential game-tying shot as time ran out.
In Tuesday’s overtime loss to Boston, Sprewell scored a career-high 49 points but missed a free throw in the waning moments of regulation that would have clinched victory.
Corliss Williamson led the Central Division-leading Pistons (14-6) with a season-high 24 points and Jerry Stackhouse had a career-high 13 assists to go with his 19 points.
Sprewell finished with 22 points, marking the seventh game in a row he has led New York (11-11) in scoring.
In Denver, Voshon Lenard scored seven consecutive points down the stretch as the Nuggets rallied for an 89-86 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies to snap a five-game losing streak.
Denver won with assistant coach Mike Evans at the helm, filling in for head coach Dan Issel, who was suspended four games for shouting obscenities at a fan after Tuesday’s home loss to Charlotte.
Lenard, inserted by Evans into the starting lineup, responded with a season-high 25 points.
Thursday’s results (home team in CAPS):
CHARLOTTE 104 Toronto 90
INDIANA 108 Houston 106 (OT)
DETROIT 99 New York 97
DALLAS 102 Cleveland 82
DENVER 89 Memphis 86
Orlando 105 GOLDEN STATE
ST. LOUIS: Alexander Mogilny scored two goals then set up Mats Sundin’s game-winner in overtime to power the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-3 victory over the St Louis Blues on Thursday.
Blues defensemen Chris Pronger and Al MacInnis failed to convert on a shorthanded 2-on-1 rush in the extra period, but moments later Mogilny and Sundin ended the game.
Mogilny slid a pass across the slot and Sundin redirected the puck past goaltender Brad Johnson for another victory for the Northeast Division-leading Leafs (19-8-2-3).
Toronto held a 3-2 lead entering the third period, but MacInnis and Doug Weight then forced overtime for the Blues (14-9-6-2).
Curtis Joseph finished with 25 saves for Toronto.
In Ottawa, Martin Havlat recorded his second career hat-trick and Patrick Lalime registered a shutout as the Senators soared to a 6-0 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes, whose road winless streak reached eight games.
The Senators continued to flourish at home as they improved to 9-1-2 in their last 12 games on home ice.
Havlat scored twice in the first period and notched his 14th goal of the season in the third.
Lalime was rarely challenged on the way to his fourth shutout of the season, needing to make just 18 saves.
In Philadelphia, Jose Theodore made 31 saves, including 15 in the final period, to help the Montreal Canadiens preserve a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Theodore began the season as the backup but took over the starting role after Jeff Hackett suffered a shoulder injury in late October.
Hackett returned on Wednesday in a 3-3 tie with Atlanta, but Theodore has been impressive after a string of 16 straight starts in which he was 8-5-3 with two shutouts.
In Washington, Ulf Dahlen scored the winning goal with 8:02 remaining as the Washington Capitals rallied for 2-1 victory over the Boston Bruins.
Dahlen has blossomed this season as a goal-scorer after five seasons in a row with fewer than 20 goals. The Swede has 14 goals already this season.
Olaf Kolzig made 35 saves for the Capitals in notching his first regular season victory ever against his friend and former team mate, Byron Dafoe.
In Edmonton, Steve Yzerman scored the winning goal at 14:36 in the third period as the Detroit Red Wings ended a season-high four-game winless skid with a 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.
The Red Wings’ captain also snapped his personal eight-game goal drought when he tipped in Chris Chelios’ slap shot with 5:24 to play.
Prior to the skid, the Red Wings had not gone two straight games without a win and they were held to two or fewer goals in just six games. During the winless streak, Detroit was outscored, 11-3.
Thursday’s results:
OTTAWA 6 Phoenix 0
Montreal 3 PHILADELPHIA 2
WASHINGTON 2 Boston 1
Toronto 4 ST LOUIS 3 (OT)
Detroit 2 EDMONTON 1
LOS ANGELES 6 Vancouver 3
—Reuters
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