NBA Wrap: Bulls Stop Cavs, James in OT

Luol Deng scored 22 points and Derrick Rose finished with 16 after a slow start to lead the Chicago Bulls to a surprising 102-93 overtime victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night after LeBron James missed a jumper at the end of regulation.

Tied at 87 through regulation after James' 18-footer banged off the rim, the Bulls scored 12 of the first 13 points in OT to avoid a four-game sweep by the Cavaliers.

Rose's 3-point play 52 seconds into the extra period broke the tie and Kirk Hinrich's 3-pointer with 3:34 left made it 93-87.

James (28 points) then hit 1 of 2 free throws, but Deng put the Cavaliers away with back-to-back 3-pointers from the left corner — the second bouncing straight up off the rim before dropping through the net to make it 99-88.

Mo Williams scored 26 points for the Cavaliers, hitting 5 of 10 3-pointers. But it was a rough night for James, who shot 8-for-28 and hit 1 of 6 3-pointers.

Nuggets 119, Suns 113, OT
hauncey Billups scored five of his game-high 26 points in overtime and Denver beat Phoenix.

Nene had 17 points and 14 rebounds and Kenyon Martin had 24 points, including a clinching 3-pointer with 29.6 seconds left in overtime. Martin also had eight rebounds and a career-high seven steals for Denver, which has won seven of eight.

Grant Hill scored a season-high 25 points and Steve Nash had 20 points and 14 assists for the Suns, who played without center Shaquille O'Neal, who was inactive for the game. Phoenix coach Terry Porter said it was a "routine" night off for O'Neal.

Trail Blazers 105, Nets 99
Brandon Roy scored 29 points and rookie Jerryd Bayless added a career-high 23 to lead Portland over New Jersey, snapping the Nets' season-high four-game home winning streak.

LaMarcus Aldridge added 20 points and Travis Outlaw scored all 13 of his points in the second half when the Trail Blazers rallied from an 11-point deficit.

Devin Harris had 23 points and eight assists to lead New Jersey. Rookie Brook Lopez added 17 points, Bobby Simmons 14 and Vince Carter 13 while playing with a slightly sprained ankle.

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