The Basketball Diaries

Portland Trail Blazers 115 Chicago Bulls 109 2OT

I know the Bulls lost at home again on Thursday night, but I have to say that the effort I've seen the last few games under Jim Boylan has been a marked improvement over what I saw under Skiles. Unfortunately, they still just don't look that good. Of course, they were playing a Blazers team that had won 14 of it's last 15 games, and now they've won 15 of 16. The game was lost when Ben Gordon spent too much time dribbling at the top of the key in the second overtime trying to get an open look at a three. Ben lost control of the ball, and then Jarrett Jack took off down the court where he was fouled by Gordon on a layup. Jack then completed the three point play, and with it, finished the Bulls. Still, I'd like to take a second to commend Joe Smith yet again. I've done it a couple of times all season, but I just feel guilty because I was so condescending about the Bulls signing him. He's been the most consistent player on this team all year, and last night he blew up for 31 points and 11 rebounds. Oh, and if you want more bad news, Luol Deng didn't play at all in the second half or the overtimes thanks to a strained Achilles Heel. No telling on how much time Lu is going to miss, if any, but that's the last thing this team needs right now.

Denver Nuggets 80 San Antonio Spurs 77

Allen Iverson may have been distracted by feelings of concern for his son, but it didn't show on the court Thursday night as he helped lead Denver to a win over the defending champion Spurs. Iverson's son fell face first off of a stool earlier this week, which gave him a large enough cut on his face that he needed plastic surgery to fix it. Don't worry, though, Lil' Answer is going to be just fine. "He got a big gash up under his mouth," Iverson said. "He was sitting on a stool and what really messed him up was he had his hands in his shirt. And it was a high stool, so when he fell, he couldn't brace it. So he just [smacked the floor]...I mean, when he's around the house screaming and yelling like he usually does, then I'm pretty sure he'll be all right. That was my biggest thing once he started acting like himself again. He's real loud, man." Iverson scored 29 points to lead Denver, but it was the defense of Kenyon Martin, Marcus Camby and the rest of Denver's bigs on Tim Duncan during the 4th quarter that won the game for the Nuggets.

Elsewhere...

• Phoenix Suns 104 Seattle Sonics 96