NBA Roundup: Bulls hold off Magic for 97-83 win

ORLANDO, Fla. — Derrick Rose and Luol Deng each scored 21 points and the Chicago Bulls held off a fourth-quarter surge by Orlando to beat the Magic 97-83 on Friday night for their sixth straight victory.

Carlos Boozer added 20 points for Chicago, which led by as many as 17 before the lead was trimmed to three. The Bulls closed the game on a 17-6 run.

Dwight Howard led the Magic with 28 points and 15 rebounds.

The Bulls (7-1) are off to their best start since winning 12 of 13 to open the 1996-97 season. The latest victory began a brutal stretch for Chicago that includes seven games in nine nights.

■ Thunder 109

Rockets 94

OKLAHOMA CITY — Kevin Durant scored 26 points, top reserve James Harden added 23 and Oklahoma City eased into its only stretch of three games on consecutive nights by beating Houston.

The Rockets fell to 0-5 on the road this season but get a rematch Saturday night on their home floor, where they’ve won their only two games this season.

■ Hawks 102

Bobcats 96, OT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Atlanta went to overtime for a second straight night, pulling out a victory over Charlotte behind 23 points and 13 rebounds from Josh Smith.

The Hawks lost in triple-overtime to the Miami Heat the night before, but made sure there wouldn’t be multiple extra periods needed by scoring the first seven points, with early 3-pointers by Jeff Teague and Joe Johnson.

■ Knicks 99, Wizards 96

WASHINGTON — Carmelo Anthony made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 15.9 seconds to play and scored 37 points as New York rallied to keep Washington winless.

Amare Stoudemire added 23 points and 12 rebounds, and Tyson Chandler had 12 points and 15 boards in the Knicks’ seventh straight victory over the Wizards.

■ Nets 97, Raptors 85

TORONTO — Deron Williams had 24 points and nine assists, Anthony Morrow also scored 24 and New Jersey snapped a six-game losing streak by beating Toronto.

DeShawn Stevenson added 15 points for the Nets, who made a season-high 15 3-pointers to win for the first time since their opener Dec. 26 at Washington.

■ 76ers 96, Pistons 73

PHILADELPHIA — Spencer Hawes had 16 points and 14 rebounds, Jodie Meeks scored 21 points and Philadelphia beat Detroit.

In front of Hall of Famer Julius Erving and their new owners, the Sixers dominated the fourth quarter to win their home opener. Majority owner Joshua Harris and CEO Adam Aron promised sweeping changes to the fan experience, slashing ticket prices, revamping the lighting, and even mingling with fans for more feedback.

■ Pacers 87, Celtics 74

BOSTON — Danny Granger had 15 points and Roy Hibbert scored 11 with 12 rebounds to lead Indiana past Boston.

It was the Pacers’ first win in Boston since 2007.

■ Cavaliers 98

Timberwolves 87

MINNEAPOLIS — Antawn Jamison had 22 points and six rebounds to help Cleveland beat Minnesota.

Kyrie Irving had 14 points, five assists and five rebounds and former Timberwolves guard Ramon Sessions had 11 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Cavaliers, who held Minnesota to three fast-break points.

■ Nuggets 96, Hornets 88

NEW ORLEANS — Danilo Gallinari scored 23 points and Denver went on a 19-0 run spanning the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth to beat New Orleans.

The Nuggets scored the last eight points of the third quarter and took the lead for the first time, 64-63, on Andre Miller’s shot in the lane to start the fourth. They scored on their first five possessions of the fourth while the Hornets did not get off a shot, committing four consecutive turnovers.