The Basketball Diaries

Chicago Bulls 101 Cleveland Cavaliers 98

It was Bizarro Day in Cleveland on Thursday, apparently. Normally it's the Bulls who are blowing double-digit leads in the second half, but on Thursday night it was the Bulls fighting back from a double-digit deficit. The Bulls overcame a 17-point Cavalier lead in the second half to snap a six-game road losing streak. Larry Hughes led the Bulls with 25 points, but it was the five of Ben Gordon's 24 points at the free throw line late that sealed the deal. "It says a lot about our guys to get down 17 on the road against a team like this and fight our way back," interim coach Jim Boylan said. Really, Jim? What's it say? Now that the team has no chance of making the playoffs and ensured themselves there's no way in hell you'll be back to coach the team next season, they're ready to start playing now?

Houston Rockets 95 Portland Trail Blazers 86

You have to feel bad for the Blazers. After losing on Thursday night, they find themselves at 38-38 on the season, and 15 games out of the playoffs out West. If they played in the Eastern Conference, that 38-38 record would be good enough for the 8th spot. Of course, if Portland played in the East, they'd probably have 10 more wins and be the #3 seed. Anyway, Tracy McGrady scored 26 of his 35 points to lead Houston to the victory, as the Rockets moved to within 2.5 games of the Hornets for the top spot out West. Too bad 2.5 games out of first puts you in sixth place. If the West had a slogan, it would be, "Just like the NL Central, only with good teams!"

Elsewhere...

• Kings 110 Clippers 98