James, Randolph earn NBA honors

LeBron Scores 44, Heat Top Trail Blazers In Overtime (VIDEO)
PORTLAND, Ore. -- LeBron James had 44 points, 13 rebounds and six assists, Dwyane Wade added 34 points and eight rebounds, and the Miami Heat beat the Portland Trail Blazers 107-100 in overtime Sunday night for their 13th straight road victory. James buried two deep 3-pointers and made two free throws in the extra period for the Heat (30-9), who have won 21 of their last 22 games after a slow start to the season. Chris Bosh added 18 points and eight rebounds. The Big Three combined for all but...

James scores 44, Heat top Blazers in OT
Miami Heat's LeBron James (6) throws powder in the air at the start of their NBA Basketball game with the Portland Trail Blazers Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011, in Portland, Ore. LeBron James had 44 points, 13 rebounds and six assists, Dwyane Wade added 34 points and eight rebounds, and the Miami Heat beat the Portland Trail Blazers 107-100 in overtime Sunday night for their 13th straight road victory. James buried two deep 3-pointers and made two free throws in the extra period for the Heat (30-9), who ...

After 9-8 start, Heat take Eastern Conference lead
Struggling near .500 barely a month ago, the Miami Heat now lead the Eastern Conference. Boston's loss to Houston on Monday night dropped the Celtics behind Miami in the East standings. Miami is 30-9; the Celtics are now 28-9. The last time Miami led the East this late in a season was at the end of the 2004-05 campaign, according to STATS LLC. Miami started the season 9-8, before winning 20 of its 21 games since Nov. 27. The Heat next play on Wednesday in Los Angeles against the Clippers, lookin...

James scores 44, Heat top Blazers in OT
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — LeBron James had 44 points, 13 rebounds and six assists, Dwyane Wade added 34 points and eight rebounds, and the Miami Heat beat the Portland Trail Blazers 107-100 in overtime Sunday night for their 13th straight road victory. James buried two deep 3-pointers and made two free throws in the extra period for the Heat (30-9), who have won 21 of their last 22 games after a slow start to the season. Chris Bosh added 18 points and eight rebounds. The Big Three combined for...

Stoudemire, Aldridge Set For Knicks-Blazers Battle
NEW YORK (AP) — The departure of Amar’e Stoudemire to the Eastern Conference may have opened up a possible spot on the Western Conference All-Star team for Lamarcus Aldridge. The fifth-year Portland Trail Blazers big man is certainly playing like one lately. Aldridge looks to add to his impressive string of performances Tuesday night when the Trail Blazers host Stoudemire’s New York Knicks. Stoudemire is a five-time All-Star, including appearances the last four seasons - ...

Dwyane Wade's Birthday Party: Belvedere Intense Vodka Reportedly Paying More Than $100K To Sponsor
Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade is pulling out all the stops for his birthday party on Sunday. According to the New York Post, Belvedere Intense Vodka "is paying more than $100,000" to sponsor the dinner and party. The dinner is reportedly for 200 people at W Hotel and the after-party is at Mokai in South Beach. Teammate LeBron James had his 26th birthday celebration two weeks ago and it included an enormous birthday cake. The cake featured a crown on top and the letters "LJ" on the front. Get ...

Smith, Johnson power Hawks past Pacers
Atlanta Hawks shooting guard Joe Johnson (2) makes a no look pass in front of Indiana Pacers small forward Danny Granger (33) during the first half of their NBA Basketball game Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011, in Atlanta. Josh Smith scored 14 of his 27 points in the Fourth Quarter, Joe Johnson added 24 points and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Indiana Pacers 108-93 on Saturday night. The Hawks have won four straight and eight of 10. Indiana, which never led, has dropped three in a row and six of seven. Dann...

No fans, no problem, Bobcats beat Grizzlies 96-82
Memphis Grizzlies' Zach Randolph (50) and Charlotte Bobcats' Gerald Henderson (15) battle for a rebound in the first half of an NBA Basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Jan. 10, 2011. Stephen Jackson scored 27 points and the Charlotte Bobcats stayed hot under new coach Paul Silas with a 96-82 victory over the listless Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night in a game played in a nearly empty arena because of a snowstorm. A crowd of about 1,000 fans braved the treacherous roads that shut down m...

Gordon scores 25 in Clips' 105-91 rout of Warriors
Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) looks to make a pass as Golden State Warriors guard Acie Law (2) defends during the first half of an NBA Basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011, in Los Angeles. Eric Gordon scored 25 points, Blake Griffin had 23 points and 12 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Golden State Warriors 105-91 Sunday for their seventh win in 10 games. Baron Davis had 17 points and 11 assists for the Clippers, who have roared to life after a 5-21 start to th...

Rockets hold on without Martin to beat Celtics
Boston Celtics forward Glen Davis (11) knocks the ball free as Houston Rockets center Luis Scola, of Argentina, drives to the basket during the Second Quarter of an NBA Basketball game in Boston, Monday, Jan. 10, 2011. Aaron Brooks scored 24 points, hitting a pair of free throws with 18 seconds left after Boston cut a 12-point Deficit to four and the Houston Rockets held on for a 108-102 victory over the Celtics on Monday night. The Rockets snapped a five-game Losing Streak despite playing with...

Charge dismissed against stepfather of NBA player
A resisting arrest charge has been dropped against the stepfather of Boston Celtics swingman Marquis Daniels. Judge Walter Komanski dismissed the case Tuesday in Orlando against Willie Buie, who was subdued with the use of a Stun Gun during Game 2 of last season's Eastern Conference Finals against the Orlando Magic. Buie was charged with resisting arrest with violence on May 18 at the Magic's old Amway Arena. David Bigney, Buie's attorney, argued a motion last month to dismiss the case, saying i...

Frozen South: Could be days before thaw comes
COLUMBIA -- It could be days before icy, treacherous conditions improve for areas of the South hit by a wintry blast that sent cars sliding off the road, emptied grocery shelves and had officials nervously watching ice-laden powerlines and tree limbs. Meanwhile, New York City was about to confront its third snowstorm in less than three weeks, a day after Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration admitted a series of mistakes in its handling of a Christmas weekend blizzard and promised immediate c...

Southerners struggle to dig out from heavy snow
© Chuck Burton/Associated Press A Police Officer examines the wreckage of a car after it slid into a power pole during a snowstorm in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Jan. 10, 2011. Atlanta - Temperatures plummeted late Monday, turning slushy streets into sheets of ice across Southern states that are more accustomed to sunshine than snow. The wintry blast has grounded flights, cut power to thousands of homes and even forced Auburn University to cancel viewing parties for the national championship...

Could be the worst winter the South ever thaw
It could be days before icy, treacherous conditions improve for areas of the South hit by a wintry blast that sent cars sliding off the road, emptied grocery shelves and had officials nervously watching ice-laden powerlines and tree limbs. Meanwhile, New York City was about to confront its third snowstorm in less than three weeks, a day after Mayor Michael Bloomberg‘s administration admitted a series of mistakes in its handling of a Christmas weekend blizzard and promised immediate changes...

Frozen South: Could be days before thaw comes
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — It could be days before icy, treacherous conditions improve for areas of the South hit by a wintry blast that sent cars sliding off the road, emptied grocery shelves and had officials nervously watching ice-laden powerlines and tree limbs. Snow ranging from several inches to more than a foot Sunday and Monday blanketed states from Louisiana to the Carolinas — a region where many cities have only a handful of snow plows, if any. And more misery was on the way: Th...

Jackson on Brown's firing: 'We need a change'
Charlotte Bobcats' Stephen Jackson (1) crashes into Washington Wizards' Kirk Hinrich (12) on the way to the basket in the second half of an NBA Basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011. The Charlotte Bobcats won 104-89. Charlotte Bobcats guard Stephen Jackson says Larry Brown's ouster as coach was needed because "nobody wanted to play no more" as players resisted the coach's slow offensive pace. Jackson said Sunday "we needed a change" after beginning 9-19 under the Hall of Fa...

Derrick Rose Alley-Oop: Bulls Star Throws Down Monstrous Dunk Against Pistons (VIDEO)
Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose showed why he should be in the slam Dunk Contest in Monday night's game against the Detroit Pistons. Early in the fourth quarter, Rose ran a fast break and dished the ball too Ronnie Brewer. Similar to Blake Griffin, Rose called for the alley-oop pass, flew through the air and slammed the ball in with one hand. Bulls forward Carlos Boozer and the rest of the bench jumped out of their seats as the crowd went wild. "Forget Blake Griffin. We got D. Rose," the anno...

Thunder snap Grizzlies' streak behind Durant's 40
Memphis Grizzlies guard Tony Allen, top, runs into Oklahoma City Thunder center Nick Collison, bottom, and is called for an offensive foul in the Second Quarter of an NBA Basketball game in Oklahoma City, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011. Kevin Durant scored 40 points, Russell Westbrook added 22 points and 11 assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder avenged a loss at Memphis earlier this week by beating the Grizzlies 109-100 on Saturday night. Durant eclipsed 40 points for the second time in two weeks, hit...

Gordon scores 25 in Clips 105-91 rout of Warriors
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Eric Gordon scored 25 points, Blake Griffin had 23 points and 12 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Golden State Warriors 105-91 Sunday for their seventh win in 10 games. Baron Davis had 17 points and 11 assists for the Clippers, who have roared to life after a 5-21 start to the season. Los Angeles easily beat the Warriors with the inside-outside punch of Griffin and Gordon, who scored 23 points apiece in the first three quarters while claiming an 18-point l...

Hurricanes edge Thrashers in OT
Atlanta Thrashers' Eric Boulton (36) battles for position with Carolina Hurricanes' Jon Matsumoto (18) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011, in Raleigh, N.C. Erik Cole scored 2:09 into overtime to lift the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-3 win over the Atlanta Thrashers on Sunday. Tuomo Ruutu, Zac Dalpe and Jeff Skinner also scored for the Hurricanes, who are 5-0-2 in their last seven games as they chase Montreal for the final Playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Jo...

Rangers Wolski Expected To Make Debut Vs. Canadiens
NEW YORK (AP) - The New York Rangers lost an under-performing forward to a season-ending injury, so they acquired another one. Wojtek Wolski is expected to make his debut with the surging Rangers when they face the Montreal Canadiens at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night in the first of two meetings in five days. New York (25-15-3) has won eight of 12 (8-2-2) and is on its fourth three-game Winning Streak this season after beating St. Louis 2-1 on goals from Derek Stepan and Sean Avery...

Stafford's OT goal lifts Sabres over Coyotes
Buffalo Sabres Right Wing Drew Stafford, right, scores the game winning goal in overtime against the Phoenix Coyotes during an NHL hockey game on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011, in Glendale, Ariz. The Coyotes defeated the Sabres 2-1. Drew Stafford didn't see the goalie, but he found the net. Stafford scored 3:12 into overtime to lift the Buffalo Sabres over the Phoenix Coyotes 2-1 on Saturday night. "I was just trying to get a screen shot through," Stafford said. "I was trying to shoot it through a hol...

Rose scores 36, powers Bulls past Celtics
Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo, foreground, battles Chicago Bulls' Taj Gibson for a loose ball in the First Quarter during a NBA Basketball game in Chicago, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011. Derrick Rose scored 36 points, Carlos Boozer added 22 points and 10 rebounds, and the Chicago Bulls cooled off the Boston Celtics with a 90-79 victory on Saturday night. Rose set career highs for free throws made and attempted with a 15-for-19 performance from the line, driving by Rajon Rondo over and over again before ...

Ovechkin's flashy goal lifts Caps past Panthers, 3-2
It was a vintage Alex Ovechkin goal and it came at the perfect time. A long pass from teammate Mike Knuble banked off the boards and Ovechkin charged after the puck late in the third period of the Capitals’ game against the Florida Panthers on Saturday night. Instead of pulling up to assess the situation, Ovechkin drove hard to the net and - a split-second before getting knocked into the air - slipped the puck past goalie Scott Clemmensen. With 3 minutes, 55 seconds remaining, that p...

The Giffords Blood Libel Will Fail
The big push to blame Conservatives for the murderous rampage of Jared Loughner won’t work. In fact, it will backfire. The Left is riding across quicksand on a horse that is dying beneath them. Here are some reasons why. The Right can fight back: The paramount reason this strategy will fail is that liberal media dominance is gone forever. The Politico offers a disgusting quote from a nameless Democrat operati...