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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 3:22 a.m., Wednesday, November 5, 2008

NBA today

Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Houston Rockets' Tracy McGrady runs into Boston Celtics' Ray Allen during Tuesday's game in Houston.

PAT SULLIVAN | Associated Press

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Detroit at Toronto (2 p.m. EST). Allen Iverson could make his Detroit debut when the Pistons face the Raptors in a matchup of 3-0 teams. The Pistons acquired the former NBA MVP from Denver for Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb on Monday.

STARS

Tuesday

— Ray Allen, Celtics, scored 29 points on 11-of-15 shooting and the defending NBA champions beat Houston 103-99 to hand the Rockets their first loss.

— Raja Bell, Suns, hit all six of his three-point attempts and scored 22 points as Phoenix shot 63 percent from the field in a 114-86 victory over New Jersey.

— Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry, Mavericks. Nowitzki scored 30 points and Terry added 29 in his first start of the season to help Dallas beat San Antonio 98-81.

REVERSAL OF FORTUNE

Knicks guard Stephon Marbury longs for coach Larry Brown. The two feuded during Brown's season as coach of the Knicks in 2005-06, but Marbury, now mired on the bench of Mike D'Antoni's squad, said: "He's really tough on his point guards, as we all know, but looking back at the last two years, I kind of liked Larry Brown. So I'm like, 'Man, I wish this guy was here to drill me now.'"

POLITICAL SUPPORTER

Houston guard Steve Francis made a political fashion statement before the Rockets played the Boston Celtics. Francis, who's been out since last season with a knee injury, arrived at the arena wearing a red velvet sports jacket with "Barack Obama" spelled on the back in sequins. Francis said he would try to attend Obama's presidential inauguration.

SLOW START

The Spurs (0-3) are off to their worst start since opening the 1973-74 ABA season 0-4. It was their first season in San Antonio after playing in Dallas as the Chaparrals. The Spurs joined the NBA in 1976.

DOMINANT DEFENSE

Boston shut down Ron Artest and Yao Ming in a 103-99 victory at Houston, handing the Rockets their first loss. Artest missed 13 of 16 shots from the field, scoring 15 points with the help of six free throws. Yao went 4-of-14 from the floor and had eight points. "Probably one of my worst games of all time," Yao said.

SHARP SHOOTERS

The Suns shot 43-of-68 from the field and 12-of-18 from 3-point range in a 114-86 victory over New Jersey. The Nets shot just 34 percent, hitting 28 of 83 shots.

SPEAKING

"Some nights everything is going and you can't do anything about it. I think tonight was just one of those nights we shot the skin off the ball." — Phoenix's Raja Bell on opponents trying to defend his team. The Suns shot 63 percent and Bell made all six of his 3-pointers in a 114-86 rout of New Jersey.