Brooks scores 26, Houston stifles rally to force Game 7

Houston's Aaron Brooks (left) shoots as the Los Angeles Lakers' Lamar Odom defends during Thursday's game in Houston. The series is tied 3-3 with the deciding Game 7 set on Sunday.

HOUSTON – The Houston Rockets keep surprising everyone but themselves, and now they’ve got a chance to pull off the ultimate stunner: knocking out the Los Angeles Lakers.

Aaron Brooks scored 26 points, Luis Scola added 24 points and 12 rebounds, and the scrappy, undermanned Rockets pushed the Lakers to the limit in their Western Conference semifinal series with a 95-80 victory in Game 6 on Thursday night to tie the series 3-3.

Reserve Carl Landry scored 15 as the Rockets built another huge lead in the first half, then fought off a Lakers rally to force Game 7 on Sunday at the Staples Center.

“For the last two days, all I’ve heard is that we weren’t going back to L.A.,” said Houston coach Rick Adelman. “Our guys in the locker room didn’t believe that.”

Kobe Bryant scored 32 and Pau Gasol added 14 for Los Angeles, which lost for only the third time in the last 18 games when it has a chance to close out a series.

The Lakers have one more opportunity to finish off Houston, but they probably didn’t expect to need it, three games after Yao Ming exited the series with a broken left foot.

“They all have the same mentality, they all fight for everything they get,” Bryant said of the Rockets. “That’s why we’re in the position that we’re in right now. They don’t quit. So Game 7 is going to be exciting.”

The winner will play the Denver Nuggets, who finished off Dallas on Wednesday night and now have a few extra days to rest.

Like Bryant, Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson tried to put a positive spin on his team’s predicament.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” he said. “We are just going to go out and play. It’s our home court and it’s what we play for. We play a different game on our court, and that’s pretty obvious to see.”

Los Angeles won Game 5 by 40 points, matching Houston’s worst playoff loss, but the Rockets came out dominant instead of demoralized on Thursday.

They put together a near carbon copy of the first half of Game 4, when they seemed to hit every open shot, smothered the Lakers on defense and built an 18-point halftime lead.

“We really came out with a great deal of aggression,” said Shane Battier, who played 42 minutes despite an illness. “We were just focused. We took care of the ball, we swung the ball around and we played the way we know we can play.”

Bryant missed a halfcourt shot at the halftime buzzer and angrily shook his head as he stormed off the court. The Rockets led 52-36 at the break – one basket shy of the halftime score in Game 4.

“We just didn’t start the game off the way we should have,” Bryant said. “We didn’t execute right. They jumped on top of us.”

On Sunday, Houston stretched its lead to 29 and cruised to a 99-87 win. This time, the Lakers made a game of it, opening the second half with a 16-2 spurt.

But Landry converted a three-point play to break the Lakers’ momentum and Brooks hit a 3-pointer to help Houston rebuild its lead.

The Rockets hit their last eight shots in the third quarter and took a 75-65 lead to the fourth. Landry drove down the lane for a one-handed dunk with 6:56 left to put Houston up 81-71 and Bryant checked in after a long rest.

But Bryant missed four of his next six shots and Brooks scored eight points over the next five minutes.

He leads win over Celtics, forces decisive Game 7

Magic center Dwight Howard pulls down an offensive rebound in front of Boston Celtics guard Paul Pierce during Thursday's game in Orlando.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Dwight Howard demanded the ball, and delivered when the Orlando Magic gave it to him.

Now he needs to back it up, one more time.

Howard had 23 points and 22 rebounds after challenging Stan Van Gundy’s coaching strategy, and the Magic beat the Boston Celtics 83-75 on Thursday night to force a decisive Game 7.

“I just tried to be me,” Howard said. “I just have to go out there and play and not worry about nothing.”

And what did he learn from his comments?

“Biggest lesson?” Howard said. “Keep my mouth shut.”

Rashard Lewis had 20 points, and Hedo Turkoglu made a 3-pointer to highlight an 11-2 run to close the game for the Magic, who haven’t made it to the conference finals since 1996.

But it was Howard who the Magic leaned on after he called out Van Gundy for not getting the ball enough in Game 5.

“I guess Dwight Howard was right,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “My gosh. He was unbelievable.”

Rajon Rondo finished with 19 points, 16 rebounds and six assists, and Paul Pierce scored 17 for the Celtics, who led by 10 points in the second half before falling apart. Game 7 is Sunday in Boston.

The Celtics also failed to close out the Chicago Bulls in Game 6 of their first-round series, a triple-overtime epic. Boston will now go the distance in its first two series for the second straight year.

The two days off before Game 7 should give an older, worn out Boston team a chance to rest its tired legs. It’s still not enough for Rivers.

“I would take a week off and do it like the Super Bowl,” Rivers joked.

Boston had chances.

The Celtics held the Magic scoreless for more than five minutes to start the third quarter, building a 10-point lead on a jumper by Glen “Big Baby” Davis.

But Howard led the Magic back, with a backspin alley-oop from Turkoglu that highlighted a spurt to end the third quarter. Orlando took its first lead with 8:38 remaining in the fourth.

DENVER – The Denver Nuggets are collecting converts across the country with their uncommon blend of freakish athleticism, superb strength and unparalleled speed, qualities that might very well deliver this band of former malcontents and misfits to their first NBA Finals.

The Nuggets earned their first trip to the Western Conference championship series in 24 years by dispatching the Dallas Mavericks in five games.

They blitzed the Mavs the same way they did the New Orleans Hornets in Round 1, with a dizzying array of Chauncey Billups’ leadership, Carmelo Anthony’s clutch play, Nene’s unmatched post presence, Kenyon Martin’s toughness and Dahntay Jones’ peskiness.

Combine all that with a blazing bench that features Chris “Birdman” Andersen’s energy, J.R. Smith’s athletic artfulness and Anthony Carter’s cunning along with a rejuvenated coach in George Karl and NBA insiders are starting to tout the Nuggets as championship contenders.

Charles Barkley, a longtime critic of Denver’s play, is among those singing the Nuggets’ praises now and the chorus is growing louder across the league.

“These guys are legit. They’ve got a legitimate championship-caliber team,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said after Denver’s series-clinching 124-110 win Wednesday night, the Nuggets’ seventh double-digit victory in the postseason.

“They have great balance. Their activity and athleticism and ability to generate second-chance opportunities is a huge factor. This building is a great building and a great homecourt advantage, especially when you factor in the altitude. So, they’ve got the pieces. They really do,” Carlisle said. “And they’ve got an experienced coach that’s been down that road and gotten to the finals. They’ve got a great shot.”

Since Billups’ arrival, the Nuggets are 61-27. They tied their franchise record with 54 regular-season wins and advanced past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 1994 and into the conference championship for the first time in 24 years.

For all those expecting a Kobe Bryant-LeBron James tussle for the title next month, hold up, said Dallas guard and ex-Arizona Wildcat Jason Terry.

“This is a team that’s going to be a tough out. I don’t think it’s going to be an easy walk to a Kobe-LeBron final,” Terry said. “They’ve been playing well since the All-Star break.”

Heat announce layoffs

MIAMI – The Miami Heat have laid off employees as the national economic downturn has hit the American Airlines Arena.

Heat team president Eric Woolworth said in a statement that the team had eliminated a small number of positions. Employees who were laid off Wednesday will receive a severance package and be eligible to be rehired.

TULSA — Former Oklahoma star and NBA player Wayman Tisdale has died at 44 after fighting cancer the past two years.

St. John Medical Center in Tulsa says he died Friday morning.

The 6-foot-9 forward from Tulsa was a three-time All-American for Oklahoma. He spent 12 seasons in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns.

He first learned he had a cancerous cyst below his right knee after he broke his leg in a fall at his home in Los Angeles in 2007. His leg was amputated last August, but he had made several public appearances since.

Denver ends nasty series with Dallas in five feisty games

Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony (right) falls back to make a shot over Dallas Mavericks center Erick Dampier (left) and guard Josh Howard on Wednesday in Denver.

DENVER – Chauncey Billups is taking his hometown team to new heights with a big assist from Carmelo Anthony.

Behind 30 points from Anthony and 28 from Billups, the Denver Nuggets beat the Dallas Mavericks 124-110 on Wednesday night to wrap up their semifinal series in five feisty games.

So, the Nuggets are leaving all the animosity with the Mavericks’ players, fans and owner behind and heading to their first Western Conference finals since 1985.

The Nuggets, who are 8-2 in the playoffs after tying their franchise record with a 54-win regular season, will face either Los Angeles or Houston for the conference championship.

“It’s special. We worked hard in the offseason and training camp and throughout,” Anthony said. “We stuck to everything, we overcame adversity, we stayed humble and our hard work paid off.”

Winners of 16 straight games at the Pepsi Center, where no opponent has won since March 9, the Nuggets would start their next series on the road if the Lakers win, and at home if Houston does. The Lakers lead the series 3-2 with Game 6 Thursday night in Houston.

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said the combination of Billups, a proven winner, and Anthony, “who’s just taking quantum leaps as a great player and leader,” makes the Nuggets a true title contender.

“These guys are legitimate, a legitimate championship-caliber team,” Carlisle said. “They’ve got a great shot. They’ve got a real opportunity.”

The Nuggets didn’t dare dream of this type of success when the season began following the departures of defensive stalwarts Marcus Camby and Eduardo Najera.

“Sometimes when you’re forced to come together and fight together and persevere, your best qualities come forward,” Denver coach George Karl said.

The impetus for the transformation came when the team made its biggest trade ever, Allen Iverson to Detroit for Billups, who turned his hometown team from an afterthought into a championship contender after leading the Pistons to six straight Eastern Conference finals and the NBA championship in 2004.

“He’s a leader,” Anthony said of Billups. “He came on this team and he brought a businesslike attitude to our team. He brought a defensive mindset we were looking for.”

———

THURSDAY’S NBA

> Boston at Orlando, 4 p.m., ESPN. Celtics lead 3-2

> Lakers at Houston, 6:30 p.m., ESPN. Lakers lead 3-2

HOUSTON – The shots stopped falling, the passes that worked in Game 4 were turnovers in Game 5, and every loose ball or whistle seemed to go the Los Angeles’ Lakers way.

Two days after one of the most stirring victories in franchise history, the Houston Rockets suffered one of their worst postseason defeats and now face elimination Thursday in Game 6 of their Western Conference semifinal series with the Lakers.

“We know it’s time to man-up or else it’s going to be golf time,” said forward Shane Battier, held to five points in Game 5 after scoring 23 in Houston’s 99-87 win Sunday.

The Lakers’ 118-78 win on Tuesday matched Houston’s most lopsided playoff loss. The Rockets say don’t count them out just yet, pointing to their propensity for bouncing back after embarrassing defeats.

Houston dropped 11 games by double-digits during the season and won the next game 10 times.

At this point, the series may hinge more on how the top-seeded Lakers play.

They came out flat and uninspired in Game 4, and the Rockets built a 29-point lead playing without Yao Ming, who broke his left foot the previous game. Kobe Bryant called the Lakers’ mindset for the game a “dumb mistake,” and Los Angeles left nothing to chance in Game 5.

“Every game, you’ve got to rebuild your momentum,” Bryant said. “It doesn’t carry over.”

Howard wants bigger role

ORLANDO, Fla. – Dwight Howard wants the ball more, and Stan Van Gundy is telling fans not to panic. Orlando seems to be teetering on a Magic Meltdown.

Howard met with Van Gundy and apologized Wednesday – but did not retract his statements – after publicly challenging the coach’s strategy in their Game 5 collapse. The Magic center even added another bold comment as the Celtics look to close out Orlando in Game 6 Thursday and move on to the Eastern Conference finals.

“We can’t give up hope,” Howard said Wednesday. “We’re in this series to win it. We are going to win this series.”

It was the second time during these playoffs Howard has questioned why the Magic coach doesn’t run more of the offense through him, with the latest being the loudest and most direct.

“Getting the ball shouldn’t be a big issue for me,” Howard said. “There’s more ways to dominate the game than scoring. Me and coach, we talked about that.”

Howard’s comments have caused enough uproar in Orlando that Van Gundy even suggested that any Magic fans starting to panic need to keep their cool.

“That kind of panic wouldn’t exist in cities that are used to having teams in tough playoff series year after year after year.”

Eddie Jordan seeks 76ers job

PHILADELPHIA – Former NBA coach Eddie Jordan has expressed interest in the Philadelphia 76ers head coaching job and hopes to meet with team president Ed Stefanski by the end of the weekend.

“He needs a coach, and I’m a coach that’s looking for a job,” Jordan said by phone Wednesday night.

Jordan, who was fired by the Washington Wizards in November, interviewed with Sacramento this week.

TNT analyst Doug Collins is also a candidate for the Sixers job.

<h4>Mutual respect: </h4>

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (left) and Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin shake hands following the Penguins' 6-2 win in Washington on Wednesday, sending the Penguins to the next round of the NHL playoffs.

&gt; Go to <a href="http://www.tucsoncitizen.com">www.tucsoncitizen.com</a> for more sports photo galleries.

In the case of USC basketball coach Tim Floyd’s recruitment of O.J. Mayo, it might come down to a case of he said vs. he said.

Louis Johnson, a former associate of Mayo’s, has told federal and NCAA investigators that Floyd gave $1,000 in cash to a man who helped steer the star player to the Trojans, according to Johnson’s attorney, Anthony V. Salerno.

Whatever happens, there was a sense of relief at the University of Arizona, which had courted Floyd this spring before hiring Xavier coach Sean Miller.

UA athletic director Jim Livengood denied he had offered Floyd the job. But he said he had asked Floyd about the reports and his relationship with Mayo.

“I asked him the question,” Livengood said. “He said there’s nothing to that. So end of question. We didn’t go any farther.”

Floyd has yet to respond to the allegations, which first appeared in a Yahoo! Sports report.

“That’s really the whole thing: who do you believe?” Salerno told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “Tim Floyd had a motive to pay O.J. Mayo to get there. Louis really doesn’t have any motives. He doesn’t have an ax to grind against Tim Floyd.”

Salerno said he thinks investigators believe Johnson’s story. Johnson has told them that he accompanied Mayo’s handler, Rodney Guillory, to a meeting with Floyd at a Beverly Hills cafe on Valentine’s Day 2007, and that Guillory emerged with an envelope stuffed with $100 bills.

“I don’t think they’ve expressed any indication that they don’t believe him,” Salerno said, referring to NCAA investigators. “And for what it’s worth, I think the U.S. government, through the Justice Department, believes him, too.”

Johnson’s account comes as USC deals with allegations that 2005 Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush received improper benefits from a sports marketing agent while at USC.

If the NCAA can prove Floyd paid Guillory for delivering Mayo to USC, that would be a major violation. The Trojans could be forced to forfeit victories, and could face recruiting restrictions and lose scholarships.

USC athletic department spokesman Tim Tessalone said the school could not comment on an ongoing NCAA investigation.

Mayo played one season at USC, leading the Trojans to a 21-12 record and an NCAA Tournament berth. He was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies with the third overall pick. He was runner-up for the NBA’s top rookie award to Chicago’s Derrick Rose.

Salerno said he wonders why Floyd has not disputed Johnson’s account if it’s false.

“Tim Floyd easily could have said, ‘That’s baloney, it’s slanderous and not true, I never did that,’” Salerno said. “In my opinion, it’s kind of damning, his being silent. It’s not like this is a criminal case for him. It’s not like this is a subtle allegation. It’s black and white.

Ex-Pistons honor Daly

TEQUESTA, Fla. – Chuck Daly’s team gathered around him one last time. Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn were side by side on one end, Joe Dumars on the right, Isiah Thomas and Vinnie Johnson standing together a few feet back.

The Bad Boys were together again, not as players but pallbearers who gave their coach a sad, fond farewell.

“He was coaching all of us until the day he died,” Thomas said.

Here’s how much Daly meant to Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle, an ex-Daly assistant: His team was in Denver, a playoff game was six hours away, and Carlisle was still in South Florida, to help carry his mentor out of the church.

“Missing this was not an option,” Carlisle said.

Daly, 78, died Saturday of pancreatic cancer in Jupiter, Fla.

The Associated Press

Taylor rejoins Dolphins

MIAMI – Jason Taylor’s newest step has him back where he started. The dancing linebacker signed a $1.5 million, one-year contract with Miami.

He played his first 11 seasons with the Dolphins before being traded a year ago to Washington – a fallout from his stint on the TV show “Dancing With the Stars.” He was released by the Redskins in March after an injury-plagued season.

The Patriots courted Taylor, but he wanted to return to South Florida, where he still lives.

The Associated Press

Streaker pleads not guilty

NEW YORK – A streaker who disrupted a New York Mets game by jumping onto Citi Field naked except for a stuffed monkey tied around his waist pleaded not guilty to trespassing charges Wednesday.

Craig Coakley was arraigned in state Supreme Court in Queens on a charge of interfering with a professional sporting event and criminal trespassing.

The 38-year-old plumber jumped onto the field, with only the stuffed monkey and “Lets Go Mets” painted on his back.

The Associated Press

UW athletics lays off 12

SEATTLE – The University of Washington athletic department is trimming an additional $1.6 million from its operating budget by laying off a dozen staffers and streamlining operations.

Athletic director Scott Woodward announced the additional cuts on Wednesday. He had already decided to end the men’s and women’s swimming programs. Cutting those teams is expected to save the Huskies $1.2 million.

He said the cuts were necessary to “preserve the viability” of the UW’s remaining teams.

The Associated Press

It’s a girl for WNBA star

NEW YORK – Los Angeles Sparks star Candace Parker has given birth to a girl.

It is the first child for the WNBA’s reigning MVP and rookie of the year and husband Shelden Williams of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The baby, born in Los Angeles on Wednesday, weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces and was 20 inches long.

Parker plans to rejoin the Sparks once she gets the OK from her doctor. The WNBA season begins June 6.

The Associated Press

NUMBER OF THE DAY

56

Consecutive games in which the Yankees’ Joe DiMaggio got hits in 1941 – the longest such streak in baseball history. The other top streaks:

Pete Rose, Cincinnati, 1978 44

Willie Keeler, Baltimore, 1897 44

Bill Dahlen, Chi. Cubs, 1894 42

George Sisler, St. Louis, 1922 41

Ty Cobb, Detroit, 1911 40

Paul Molitor, Milwaukee, 1987 39

Tommy Holmes, Boston, 1945 37

Jimmy Rollins, Phil., 2005 36

Chase Utley, Phil., 2006 35

QUOTABLE:

'It would have sucked a lot more if we had lost.'

RYAN ZIMMERMAN,

Washington third baseman, whose hitting streak ended at 30 games. He went 0-for-3 but the Nationals beat San Francisco 6-3.

———

ON THIS DATE

1913: Washington’s Walter Johnson gives up a run in the fourth inning against the St. Louis Browns to end his streak of 56 scoreless innings.

1967: Mickey Mantle’s 500th home run, off Stu Miller, lifts the Yankees over the Orioles 6-5.

1999: Ex-UA Wildcat Annika Sorenstam shoots an 11-under 61, the best score in LPGA history on a par-72 course.

2004: Ex-UA Wildcat Richard Jefferson scores 18 of his 31 points after regulation to lead New Jersey to a 127-120 triple-overtime win over Detroit and a 3-2 lead in the NBA Eastern semifinals.

———

SPORTS SOUND-OFF

If Cats don’t yowl, NCAA will do it again

Re: Candrea tells Cats: Let go of anger

• This is the second year in a row that Arizona gets the shaft (failing to host an NCAA softball first-round regional). And if Arizona does not do anything, then expect more of the same treatment. One was acceptable. Two is just personal. CLAUDIA44

• Truth is Arizona has won the regional out of state before, and here is one fan hoping the Wildcats do it again. AZMSKI

Amphi-CDO football series should be revived

Re: Amphi coach laments lapse in rivalry with Canyon del Oro

• What a shame! This was a great football rivalry. The games were always well-attended and usually were very well-played. Hopefully, the powers that be will look at picking this game up next year. 6652

The Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James was the only unanimous selection of the All-NBA team.

NEW YORK – LeBron James should be getting used to sweeps by now.

The Cavaliers star was a unanimous selection to the All-NBA first team Wednesday, after leading his team to a franchise-best regular-season record and a pair of playoff sweeps of the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks.

James was put on the first team on every ballot of 122 sportswriters and broadcasters who regularly cover the league. Lakers star Kobe Bryant finished second in voting, making the first team on 119 ballots, while Dwight Howard of the Magic, Dwyane Wade of the Heat and Dirk Nowitzki of the Mavericks rounded out the first team.

Center Shaquille O’Neal of the Phoenix Suns was named to the third team.

James was a first-team selection for the second straight season after finishing second in the NBA in scoring at 28.4 points and ranking in the top 10 in steals and assists. He led the Cavaliers to a 66-16 record, including a 39-2 mark at home, and the team’s first top seed in the playoffs.

“It doesn’t surprise me at all,” Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said of James, who in addition to winning MVP, finished second in voting for best defensive player. “It comes with being the MVP. He’s proven he can do it all.”

The Cavaliers made it 8-for-8 in the postseason Monday night, completing a second straight sweep with an 84-74 win over the Hawks. Along with their dominant sweep of Detroit, Cleveland has won an NBA-record eight consecutive playoff games by double figures.

The Cavs should be well-rested for the Eastern Conference finals against Boston or Orlando, a series the Celtics lead 3-2 entering Game 6 Thursday night.

The All-NBA second team consisted of New Orleans guard Chris Paul, Brandon Roy of the Trail Blazers, Tim Duncan of the Spurs, Paul Pierce of the Celtics and Houston center Yao Ming.

The third team has Denver’s Chauncey Billups and San Antonio’s Tony Parker at guard, Denver’s Carmelo Anthony and the Lakers’ Pau Gasol at forward, and O’Neal at center.

Howard had 17 rebounds but just 12 points while taking only 10 shots in the Magic’s 92-88 loss Tuesday night, but he’s the biggest reason Orlando is still alive.

After becoming only the fourth player to lead the league in rebounding and blocked shots since 1973-74, when the block became an official statistic, the 6-foot-11 forward has averaged 20 points and leads all players with 16.1 rebounds in the postseason.

Bryant finished third in the league with 26.8 points, leading the Lakers to a Western Conference-best 65-17 finish.

They play Game 6 against the Houston Rockets on Thursday.Wade was a first-team selection for the first time after leading the league in scoring at 30.2 points, finishing second in steals and eighth in assists. He also became the fifth player in league history to reach 2,000 points, 500 assists, and 150 steals in a single season.

Nowitzki was the league’s fourth-leading scorer and helped the Mavericks to a 50-32 finish.

“This is a great honor and means that you have played solid basketball for the whole season,” Nowitzki said. “This is about being consistent and helping the team night in and night out.”

The Houston Rockets' Shane Battier blocks the view of the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant as Bryant shoots Tuesday in L.A.

LOS ANGELES – The top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers did everything they didn’t do Sunday.

Kobe Bryant needed only three quarters to score 26 points and the Lakers bounced back from their Game 4 flop, routing the Houston Rockets 118-78 on Tuesday night to take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.

The Lakers, coming off a 99-87 loss at Houston – hustled, rebounded and played tight defense on Houston’s smaller lineup, keeping Aaron Brooks in check and limiting wide-open shots.

On Sunday the Lakers trailed by 29 points. On Tuesday night, they had a 29-point lead by late in the second quarter, on a 3-pointer by Bryant, who led seven Lakers in double figures.

The Lakers can wrap up the series Thursday night in Houston.

“We’ve got to stay focused and understand that the effort we gave tonight is not going to be enough on Thursday. It’s just not,” Bryant said. “We’re not playing some chump team. I don’t care how many people they have out. This is a tough team, it’s a tough team full of competitors.”

The Rockets played their second game without Yao Ming, who sustained a season-ending stress fracture in his left foot in Game 3.

Bryant looked more like himself after being held to 15 points on Sunday. With the Lakers far ahead after holding the Rockets to only 15 points in each of the second and third quarters, he sat out the fourth period.

“We played just the opposite we did the last game,” Houston coach Rick Adelman said. “We turned it over in the first half, shot it poorly. We said if we turn it over against this team we’re going to be in big trouble. That’s exactly what we did.

“It just kind of fed their energy level. The second and third quarters are about as bad as we’ve played in a long time.”

Pau Gasol had 16 points and 13 rebounds, Andrew Bynum 14 points, Trevor Ariza 13 and Jordan Farmar 12. Lamar Odom and Josh Powell had 10 apiece.

Brooks was held to 14 points after scoring a career-high 34 on Sunday. Ron Artest had a horrible night shooting, 4-of-15 for nine points. The Rockets shot only 32 percent.

The Lakers fell behind by six points midway through the first quarter, but it didn’t take them long to answer the question of whether they’d show up.

Los Angeles gained control by outscoring Houston 23-6 during the final six minutes of the first quarter. Bryant had eight points, making three straight shots at one point. Odom sank a 3-pointer and Farmar another 3 at the buzzer for a 35-24 lead.

With Bryant sitting out at the start of the second quarter, the Lakers didn’t lose any of their intensity, going on an 8-0 run to push the lead to 43-24. Gasol made a hook shot and two free throws, Odom made two free throws and Sasha Vujacic blocked a shot by Von Wafer, raced down the court and took a pass from Gasol for a slam dunk.

With Houston going cold, the Lakers piled it on, taking a 64-35 lead on Bryant’s 3-pointer with 1:31 before halftime. It was 64-39 at the break.

The Celtics' Ray Allen (right) and Stephon Marbury celebrate after Allen's 3-pointer gave Boston the lead over the Orlando Magic in Boston.

BOSTON – He’s technically a member of the defending champions, but Stephon Marbury doesn’t have the ring and the memories of the Celtics’ 17th NBA title.

So he’s doing what he can to help them win an 18th.

“I’m playing basketball this year. For me, that was enough,” Marbury said Tuesday night after scoring all of his 12 points in the final quarter to help Boston rally from a 14-point deficit and beat the Orlando Magic 92-88.

“From where I was, just being able to get back on the court after not playing the whole year, I know I’m blessed. I’m just happy that I had the opportunity to come out and help the Celtics win another championship.”

Ray Allen’s 3-pointer with 1:20 left gave Boston its first lead since midway through the first quarter, and the Celtics took a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a chance to close it out in Game 6 at Orlando on Thursday night.

Dwight Howard had 12 points and 17 rebounds for the Magic, who did not hit a basket after opening a 10-point lead with 5:39 to play. It didn’t help that, on one of the only times the Orlando defense played well, the officials ruled that Rajon Rondo’s apparent air ball hit the rim and gave Boston a fresh 24-second clock with 37 seconds to play.

“You can watch it, you can write whether it hit the rim or not,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. “But you want us coaches to say it, so that I can donate money to the league and I can be called a whiner and everything.

“You’re playing Boston. They’re the defending champions. That’s the way it is. They all watch boxing. You’re in the 12th round against the champ. You can’t be thinking, ‘I’m going to put it in the hands of the judges.’ You can’t do that. You got to knock them out.”

Paul Pierce had 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and Game 4 hero Glen “Big Baby” Davis scored 10 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter.

Davis also grabbed the rebound and hit a pair of free throws after Howard intentionally missed a free throw with 5.9 seconds left.

———

WEDNESDAY’S NBA

Dallas at Denver, 6 p.m., TNT

PHOENIX – Barring some offseason blockbuster trade, the Phoenix Suns will be saddled with the hefty contracts of Shaquille O’Neal and Amaré Stoudemire next season.

That has the Suns looking ahead to the 2010-11 season, when O’Neal’s deal and probably Stoudemire’s, too, go off the books, leaving the team with the resources to be a major player in free agency.

“We’re in a position where a year from now we can say ‘All right, we’ve got options now,’ ” general manager and ex-Arizona Wildcat Steve Kerr said Tuesday.

Kerr spoke at a news conference with Alvin Gentry, who had the interim removed from his title and has a two-year contract – with a team option for a third – as Phoenix coach. The Suns had announced the new deal with Gentry on Saturday.

Kerr indicated the team would consider the possibility of a trade but there is no rush to make a deal.

“This summer we look at everything that’s out there and if we have to just grind our way through this year, we’ll do so,” he said, “but if there’s a move that makes sense, we’ll take a look at that as well.”

Finding a team willing to take the 37-year-old O’Neal and the $20 million he has left in the final year of his contract might be difficult, no matter that he’s coming off a strong season.

Stoudemire, meanwhile, is set to make $16.3 million next season. He has an option for 2010-11 at $17 million but is widely expected to opt out of it in search of an even richer deal.

The Suns flirted with trading Stoudemire at the All-Star break but owner Robert Sarver decided against it. Instead, coach Terry Porter was fired and replaced by his lead assistant Gentry. Gentry returned the Suns to the freewheeling style of former coach Mike D’Antoni and expected Stoudemire to be the centerpiece of the offense.

But two games into Gentry’s tenure, Stoudemire underwent season-ending surgery to repair a torn retina in his right eye. That makes him damaged goods on the summer market.

Stoudemire still has not been able to run, Kerr said.

Kerr said he expected Stoudemire to be ready for the start of training camp this fall.

Gentry was 18-13 after taking over the Suns, even though he had to do without Stoudemire for all but two games and was without Steve Nash and/or Leandro Barbosa for shorter stints. Phoenix won 46 games but still missed the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

DALLAS – So much for the idea that the Dallas Mavericks would be devastated by the way Game 3 ended. Inspired was more like it.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 19 of his 44 points in the fourth quarter, including a go-ahead, high-arching shot with 1:05 left in a 119-117 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 on Monday night that prevented the Mavericks from being swept and injected a whole lot more excitement into this second-round series.

“It was an unbelievable game,” Nowitzki said. “We were down the whole game, but were able to come back and win and we’ve been doing that all season long. We’ve got to go back to Denver and let it all hang out again.”

Denver’s Carmelo Anthony scored a career playoff-best 41 points and hit a 3-pointer with 3.1 seconds left from nearly the exact spot as his winning basket in the previous game, only this time it left Denver a point shy of a tie.

Dallas’ Jason Terry, an ex-Arizona Wildcat, made a free throw with 1.1 seconds left, then missed another – intentionally, he said. Anthony got the rebound but couldn’t stop the clock and didn’t have enough time to even get off a 90-foot heave.

The buzzer sounded and confetti fell as the teams left the court, knowing they will meet again Wednesday night in Denver with Denver leading 3-1.

“We’re still in control of this going back to our home court,” Anthony said. “We’ll be ready.”

The postgame scene was a little calmer than after the end of Game 3, although it may also wind up getting reviewed by the league office because Denver’s Kenyon Martin clearly exchanged words with Dallas owner Mark Cuban.

Martin wouldn’t talk in the locker room, telling reporters to “go someplace else. All you (expletive) are trying to do is cause trouble.”

This game had all the intensity of a Game 7, with seven technical fouls and multiple flagrant fouls. There were video reviews and concerns for the safety of Anthony’s girlfriend and Martin’s mom, all of it started by the wacky Game 3 finish, then stoked by a silly elbow from Anthony early in the second quarter.

Once things started going out of control, they hardly stopped. Denver led by 14, then Dallas got close several times only to fall back by several baskets. The Mavs tied it several times before finally breaking through on Nowitzki’s rainbow over Martin.

“They’re allowed to be fans, but when it gets personal, it goes over the top,” Denver’s Chauncey Billups said. “They’re drinking before the game started, drinking all game, and it probably got a little out of hand. They’re allowed to be fans, but sometimes it can get over the top.”

Added Nuggets coach George Karl: “I would probably use an uglier word than hostile, but I’m not going to do that right now. I don’t think it was very classy. I’ve been in hostile buildings, but you can do it in a classy way.”

Denver was headed to another blowout win early when Anthony tangled arms with Dallas’ Antoine Wright. It was like an alarm clock for the drowsy crowd of 20,523 – and for the Mavericks, who all season have been at their best immediately after hitting rock bottom. It was a quality coach Rick Carlisle expected to see Monday night, even if it showed up more than a quarter late.

In the final minute, Dallas led by by two after Mavs forward Josh Howard and Anthony each hit a pair of free throws. Dallas got the ball to Nowitzki and he drew another foul on Martin. K-Mart knew it was his sixth and went straight to the bench and took a seat, watching Nowitzki sink two more free throws with 8.3 seconds left.

Cleveland shows it is not a one-man show in final game of its latest sweep

ATLANTA – Like Michael Jordan, he knows there are times that call for dominating. Like Magic Johnson, he knows there are times that call for sharing.

LeBron James went with his Magic impression in the deciding game of another playoff sweep.

While failing to match his offensive explosion in Game 3, the league’s MVP scored 27 points and got his teammates involved as the Cleveland Cavaliers finished off the Atlanta Hawks 84-74 Monday night to win the second-round series in four straight.

Delonte West and Mo Williams showed Cleveland isn’t a one-man squad, hitting shots down the stretch as the Cavaliers extended their NBA-record streak of double-digit playoff wins to eight. Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Anderson Varejao pounded the boards, leading the Cavaliers to the rebounding edge.

“I’ve got trust in every last one of our guys,” James said.

Cleveland will face either Boston or Orlando in the Eastern Conference finals.

No matter the opponent, the Cavaliers will be a lot more rested. The Celtics-Magic series is tied at 2 and will last at least through Thursday, while the top seed heads back to Ohio to relax.

“We’re glad to finish this series off,” said Wally Szcerbiak, who chipped in with six points off the bench. “Now it’s time to go get our rest and get ready for the next series. We have some bumps and bruises to heal from in this series.”

So do the Hawks, but they’ve got all summer. Joe Johnson, Al Horford and Marvin Williams were all hobbled by injuries.

“It’s hard to judge this team because we really weren’t healthy in this series,” said Atlanta coach Mike Woodson.

———

TUESDAY’S NBA

Orlando at Boston, 5 p.m., TNT

Houston at L.A. Lakers, 7:30 p.m., TNT

Houston Rockets' Aaron Brooks (right) shoots as Los Angeles Lakers' Pau Gasol defends during the second half of Sunday's game in Houston. Brooks scored a career-high 34 points in the Rockets' 99-87 victory.

HOUSTON – With Yao Ming out, the Houston Rockets had no chance to beat the Los Angeles Lakers. Right?

Wrong.

Aaron Brooks scored a career-high 34, Shane Battier sank five 3-pointers and added 23 and the Rockets beat the Lakers 99-87 on Sunday to even their Western Conference semifinal at two games apiece.

“I think everyone but us got the memo that we weren’t supposed to show up today without Yao,” Battier said.

Luis Scola had 11 points and 14 rebounds as the Rockets got exactly the team effort they needed after Yao broke his left foot in the Lakers’ win in Game 3.

Game 5 is Tuesday night in Los Angeles, and anyone who thought the Rockets were finished without their best player only needed to watch the first quarter on Sunday, when Houston built a 29-16 lead.

The Rockets never trailed and led by as many as 29 before the Lakers made the score respectable toward the end.

“I’m not surprised,” said Battier.

“It almost sounds cliche, but we’re a resilient group. We talk about bouncing back. Through adversity, through lineup changes, through trades, through injuries, we’ve never quit and we’ve never stopped believing.”

Brooks, in his second NBA season, became Houston’s starting point guard when the team dealt Rafer Alston to Orlando at the trade deadline.

He faced countless questions about his inexperience before the postseason began, but keeps showing skeptics that he can handle the job.

He scored 27 points in Houston’s Game 1 win in Portland and had 14 points in the second half of the Rockets’ 100-92 victory in the opener of this series.

Brooks deflected credit to his teammates after this one.

“I’m lucky to have these guys,” he said. “It makes it a lot easier on me.”

Pau Gasol scored 30 points and Kobe Bryant had a quiet 15 for Los Angeles.

DALLAS – Still grumpy about how Game 3 finished, and groggy from the practically sleepless night that followed, the Dallas Mavericks got together Sunday to watch some film.

Guess what clip coach Rick Carlisle didn’t show?

Hint: It’s one the league isn’t proud of, either.

As much as they don’t want to see the play, it’s one they’ll all remember: Antoine Wright bumping Carmelo Anthony in an obvious attempt to draw a foul, then bumping him again, yet failing to get rung up either time at the end of a game during which the officials had no trouble blowing their whistles.

Anthony wound up swishing a 3-pointer with 1 second left, taking the Denver Nuggets from two points down to one point ahead and a commanding 3-0 lead in this second-round series.

“We’re not going to get that last play back, so just by watching it doesn’t do us any good,” Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki said.

Nowitzki and his teammates admittedly had trouble letting go of what happened. The difference in being down 2-1 and 3-0 is a big part of it, but so is that two hours after the game ended NBA president Joel Litvin essentially said, “Oops,” acknowledging that a foul should have been called.

“If I was the league, I wouldn’t say that,” Nowitzki said. “I don’t think it makes anybody feel better. We don’t get the last seven seconds back to kind of play it over again. More than anything, I think it made it worse.”

NBA spokesman Tim Frank said Sunday that the league was still reviewing the postgame scene on the court, when Dallas’ Josh Howard and team owner Mark Cuban were among those visibly upset.