The Detroit Pistons and Denver Nuggets finally got a look at the guards they added.
The San Antonio Spurs have to wonder how much more they can lose.
Already without their top scorer from last season, the Spurs lost the player who was leading the league this season when Tony Parker sprained his left ankle in the first quarter of a 99-83 loss to the Miami Heat on Friday night.
On the night Allen Iverson and Chauncey Billups got back on the floor, Parker sustained an injury that will keep him off it for a while. He’s expected to miss at least two weeks, joining Manu Ginobili, rehabbing his own ankle injury, on the sidelines.
“I don’t know what it is,” the Spurs’ Tim Duncan said. “I don’t know what to say.”
The Nuggets felt much better after Billups helped them beat the Dallas Mavericks 108-105. He shot only 5-of-17 for his 15 points, but that was good enough for Denver.
“I’m sure he’ll have many special nights for us,” coach George Karl said. “I think it’s fun to have an ally in Chauncey.”
eviously unbeaten Pistons.
“We had the game and we let it get away in the second half,” Iverson said. “Overall, it was a great experience for me. I felt fine out there, and we only can get better.”
In other games, it was: New York 114, Washington 108; Charlotte 92, New Orleans 89; Atlanta 110, Toronto 92; Boston 101, Milwaukee 89; Cleveland 111, Indiana 107; Chicago 100, Phoenix 83; Utah 104, Oklahoma City 97; Sacramento 121, Minnesota 109; Memphis 109, Golden State 104; and Houston 92, the Los Angeles Clippers 83.
The Pistons acquired Iverson from the Nuggets on Monday for Billups, Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb. Iverson was not available for the first game and was not permitted to play the second because Billups had not completed his physical with the Nuggets.
Perhaps that explains why he had trouble keeping up with Harris in the second half.
“It was a good feeling for me,” Iverson said. “I haven’t been able to play for a while so it was good to get back on the basketball court. I’ll try to get a little bit of my rust off.”
In a few weeks, Parker will have to do the same. And the Spurs, at 1-4 off to their worst start since before Duncan arrived, could have a tough time holding on without him.
“The NBA is a challenge,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “Even when players are healthy, it’s a challenge.”
Jazz 104, Thunder 97
Sloan became the first NBA coach to win 1,000 games with one team, getting 16 points and 12 rebounds from Andrei Kirilenko in a victory over Oklahoma City.
The Jazz improved to 5-0 for just the third time in team history despite letting a 31-point lead slip to eight in the fourth quarter.
Hawks 110, Raptors 92
At Atlanta, Mike Bibby scored all of his 19 points in the first half and added 12 assists, and Atlanta improved to 4-0 for the first time since winning its first 11 games in 1997.
Chris Bosh led Toronto (3-2) with 26 points.
Cavaliers 111, Pacers 107
At Cleveland, LeBron James scored 27 points and Anderson Varejao added a career-high 18, including 10 in the fourth quarter.
Danny Granger tied his season high with 33 points for Indiana.
Bulls 100, Suns 83
At Chicago, reserve Ben Gordon scored 23 points, and rookie Derrick Rose had 18 points, six assists and several dazzling plays.
The Suns played without Shaquille O’Neal, who got the night off as part of a plan to rest him periodically throughout the season. Amare Stoudemire, coming off a 49-point performance, scored 26.
Celtics 101, Bucks 89
At Boston, Paul Pierce had 18 points and 10 rebounds to help the Celtics overcome their second straight slow start and beat undermanned Milwaukee.
r Milwaukee, playing without the injured Michael Redd. Kevin Garnett had 16 points for Boston.
Rockets 92, Clippers 83
At Los Angeles, Ron Artest scored 23 points, and Houston survived a lackluster performance to send the winless Clippers to their sixth straight loss.
Chris Kaman had 23 points and 11 rebounds for Los Angeles. Baron Davis also scored 23 points and Marcus Camby had 13 rebounds.
Bobcats 92, Hornets 89
Jason Richardson and Raymond Felton scored 20 points apiece, rookie D.J. Augustin spearheaded a late comeback, and Charlotte spoiled Chris Paul’s homecoming.
Paul, who grew up 90 minutes away and bought 500 tickets for friends and family, recovered from a scoreless first half to have 20 points and 10 assists, but had a key turnover in the final minute before missing a tying 3-point attempt at the buzzer.
Knicks 114, Wizards 108
At Washington, Jamal Crawford scored 23 points and New York put five players in double figures against the winless Wizards.
Caron Butler scored 30 points, and Antawn Jamison had 24 points and 12 rebounds for the Wizards, whose 0-4 record prompts eerie flashbacks to last year’s 0-5 start.
Kings 121, Timberwolves 109
BA’s drug policy program.
Kevin Love had 20 points and eight rebounds for the Timberwolves, who dropped their fourth straight game.
Grizzlies 109, Warriors 104
At Oakland, Calif., Hakim Warrick had 19 points and 10 rebounds, rookie O.J. Mayo added 20 points, and Memphis beat Golden State for the second time in five days.
Stephen Jackson had 27 points to lead Golden State, while Andris Biedrins had 23 points and 12 rebounds. It’s the 13th consecutive double-double by Biedrins, the longest active streak in the NBA and the longest by a Warriors player since Nate Thurmond had 13 straight in 1973.
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