Arenas scores 43, cries foul after loss

Sacramento wins with free throws in closing seconds, 110-108

? With the game tied, Cuttino Mobley made a spin move in the lane and drew a foul on Gilbert Arenas with 1.5 seconds remaining. Arenas grabbed the ball, took it to the center circle and threw it against the other backboard in frustration.

No technical was called, but the Kings didn’t need it. Mobley made the free throws to give the Sacramento Kings a 110-108 victory over the Washington Wizards on Sunday night, leaving Arenas to wonder where the fouls were when he was driving to the basket throughout the game.

Arenas matched his career high with 43 points, topping Mike Bibby’s 38 for Sacramento. Arenas made 16 of 32 field goals — including seven of 11 three-pointers — in his fourth 40-point game of the season, but he was upset that he had just seven free-throw attempts.

“I don’t understand it sometimes,” Arenas said. “I probably drive the lane as strong as anybody in the league, and I don’t get the same calls anybody gets … like an Iverson, who can shoot 26 free throws a night. Because he’s little, he gets hit. Because I’m bigger, when I get hit, they don’t do anything with it. Last night, I should have shot 20-something free throws; tonight I should have shot 20-something free throws. But I guess I’ve got to get more years in the league to get that call.”

As for his foul on Mobley, Arenas said: “It’s not one of those calls you make when I drove the ball 10 times, and he did the same thing to me, and you don’t call those. It’s one second left, you let that go. Let’s go to overtime.”

Bibby made 13 of 23 shots, including 5-of-9 shooting from three-point range, and seven of eight free throws for the Kings, who are 2-1 midway through a six-game road trip. Mobley scored 18 points, and Brad Miller had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Sacramento improved to 2-0 — both decided in the last two seconds — since welcoming three new players obtained in the Chris Webber trade.

“It really gives us a boost, because we were struggling,” coach Rick Adelman said. “We lost a lot of close games before the trade. Winning these two is a huge boost. But, in this league, you’ve got to back it up now. You’ve got to keep going on this trip. This just gives us a little momentum while we’re trying to get organized.”

The Wizards’ lineup looked almost as new as Sacramento’s. Kwame Brown started for the first time this season because of an injury to Jared Jeffries and had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Steve Blake scored a season-high 17 points in a season-high 34 minutes after Jarvis Hayes left the game in the second quarter because of tendinitis in his knee.

Celtics 120, Suns 113, OT

Phoenix — Antoine Walker scored 33 points in his second game back with Boston, and the Celtics became the first Eastern Conference team to win in Phoenix this season.

Sacramento's Mike Bibby, right, shoots over Washington's Steve Blake during the third quarter. Bibby led the Kings with 38 points in their 110-108 victory Sunday in Washington.

The Suns were without Steve Nash for the third straight game because of a sore hamstring, and Amare Stoudemire fouled out with 8:47 to play in regulation. Stoudemire left with 27 points, while Shawn Marion had 15 points and a career-high 20 rebounds.

Walker put up 32 shots, making 12, and grabbed 13 rebounds. Delonte West added 19 points, including the three-pointer that gave Boston the lead for good, 111-109, with 1:56 left. Paul Pierce added 25 points for the Celtics.

Nets 104, Cavaliers 98

East Rutherford, N.J. — Vince Carter had 34 points and 11 rebounds and combined with Jason Kidd to make all the key plays down the stretch as New Jersey held on after squandering a 21-point lead. Kidd had 14 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds, and rookie Nenad Krstic added 15 points as the Nets sent LeBron James and the Cavaliers to their sixth straight road loss. James, who did not take a shot until late in the first quarter, had 28 points and seven assists. Jeff McInnis had 23 points.

Raptors 108, Lakers 102

Toronto — Jalen Rose scored 26 points, including eight straight late in the fourth quarter, helping the Raptors extend their winning streak to three games. Rose scored 10 of Toronto’s last 12 points as the Raptors closed the game on a 12-3 run. Kobe Bryant had 31 points for the Lakers, who have lost two straight following a season-high three-game win streak.

Bucks 99, SuperSonics 73

Milwaukee — Michael Redd scored 35 points to lead the Bucks in Ray Allen’s return to Milwaukee. Allen, a fan favorite for more than six seasons with Milwaukee, scored 16 points for Seattle on 4-for-16 shooting in his first game at the Bradley Center since being traded Feb. 20, 2003. Desmond Mason, a former member of the Sonics, had 19 points and 11 rebounds as the Bucks ended Seattle’s three-game winning streak.

Jazz 99, Rockets 92

Houston — Matt Harpring scored 28 points, and Raja Bell added 21 for Utah. Houston has dropped three straight after winning eight in a row. Tracy McGrady led the Rockets with 23 points, and Mike James, in his first game with Houston, added 21. He started after being traded from Milwaukee last week.

Nuggets 94, Hornets 93

New Orleans — Carmelo Anthony scored 17 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, helping Denver overcome an 11-point deficit in the final 10 minutes. Anthony hit all 14 free throws he took, 10 in the final period, and grabbed 10 rebounds. Earl Boykins scored 16 points, hitting all six of his free throws — including two with 4.6 seconds left to ice the game for Denver, which finished the game on a 15-7 run.

Heat 112, Magic 103

Orlando, Fla. — Dwyane Wade scored 28 points, Eddie Jones added 24, and Miami beat Orlando for a second straight day. The Heat won both contests without center Shaquille O’Neal, who sat out a fourth consecutive game because of a sprained left knee. Wade scored 11 points in the third quarter, helping the Heat build a nine-point lead. He also dished 11 assists. Grant Hill led the Magic with 34 points, while Steve Francis added 22 points and seven assists.

T’wolves 91, Trail Blazers 83

Portland, Ore. — Latrell Sprewell scored 27 points, including a go-ahead three-pointer with just more than a minute left. The victory snapped Minnesota’s five-game losing streak on the road which dated back to a 92-83 victory Jan. 22 at Portland. Nick Van Exel scored 26 points for the Blazers, who have lost six of their last eight.

Pistons 94, Warriors 88

Oakland, Calif. — Tayshaun Prince had 23 points, helping ruin Baron Davis’ debut as a Warrior. Davis, acquired in a trade with New Orleans on Thursday, didn’t start and finished with 10 points and eight assists in 29 minutes. Rasheed Wallace had 17 points and nine rebounds for the Pistons, who ended a four-game losing streak in Oakland dating to Dec. 16, 1999, and won for the 12th time in 13 games since a season-long four-game losing streak. Ben Wallace added 14 points and 12 boards.

Clippers 111, Hawks 104

Los Angeles — Corey Maggette scored 25 points, helping the Clippers send Atlanta to its 19th consecutive road loss. Bobby Simmons finished with 24 points for the Clippers, who have won two straight since a season-worst eight-game losing streak. Elton Brand had 12 points and 13 rebounds, and Chris Kaman contributed 14 points and 10 boards.