Brandon Roy scored 41 points to outshine NBA scoring leader Carmelo Anthony and spark the Portland Trail Blazers past Denver 107-96, tightening their Northwest division rivalry.

Hot-shooting Steve Blake scored 17 points for Portland, his 3-pointers in the fourth quarter helping secure the victory. Andre Miller added 14 for the Blazers, who outscored Denver 33-20 in the final 12 minutes for the triumph.

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Rajon Rondo scored 17 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and passed out eight assists while Bostons defense kept Orlando to a season-low for points in an 86-77 NBA victory.

A Boston club playing without Paul Pierce due to a right knee injury also lost Garnett late in the game when he leaped to block a Vince Carter shot, fell awkwardly to the court, then rose and hobbling to the bench holding his back.

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Stan Van Gundy has a request for the NBA: no more games on Christmas.

The Magic were playing Boston on Friday, one of five NBA games on Christmas.

The Orlando Magic coach says he feels “sorry for people who have nothing to do on Christmas Day other than watch an NBA game.”

The Magic play games on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day this season.

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There was a time, and it wasn’t long ago, where Michael Beasley would blow through $20,000 in a night, awaken and want to do it again. Spend fast, drive fast, party fast.

And then, he insists, two people changed his ways without saying a word.

He was an NBA millionaire, living like repercussions need not apply, trusting almost everybody, listening to almost nobody.

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Spanish forward Pau Gasol has signed a new multi-year extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, the NBA team said on Wednesday.

Gasol, originally from Barcelona, joined the Lakers in February 2008 after spending seven years with Memphis.

The club did not provide details on the contract but local media reported Gasol had agreed to a multi-million dollar three year extension, keeping him with the team until 2014.

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Pau Gasol knows he surprised nobody by agreeing to a three-year contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers nearly two seasons before it kicks in.

“It gives me tremendous peace of mind and safety and confidence,” Gasol said Wednesday at the Lakers’ training complex. “We have a tremendous team, and we all want the same thing.

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NBA rookie point guard Eric Maynor was obtained by the Oklahoma City Thunder from Utah in a trade that also allowed the Jazz to make more room under the league salary cap.

The Thunder, who waived two players off the roster to make room for Maynor, also assumed the 6.5 million-dollar contract of Matt Harpring, an 11-year veteran who has given up on a comeback attempt from an ankle injury.

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Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings was fined $7,500 by the NBA on Friday for posting a message on his Twitter account after Milwaukee’s 108-101 double-overtime win over Portland last weekend.

The fine was announced several hours before the Bucks played at Cleveland, and Jennings reacted on his Twitter account.

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Former NBA center Chris Dudley formally announced he is running for Oregon governor.

Dudley played 16 years in the NBA, including two stints with the Portland Trail Blazers.

The 6-foot-11 Yale graduate told supporters Wednesday he wants to slow the growth of the state budget and considers his lack of political experience a plus.

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A Michigan investment firm has finalized a deal to sell its 15 percent stake in the Cleveland Cavaliers to a group led by Kenny Huang, bringing LeBron James team a step closer to adding the National Basketball Associations first big Chinese investor.

It would make the Huang group, which includes majority investor and Chinese businessman Albert Hung, the second- largest shareholder in the team after owner Dan Gilbert, Katzman said.

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