Text size: increase text sizedecrease text size

Pistons clinch division title with victory over Heat

Rookie Arron Afflalo had career highs of 15 points and seven rebounds as the host Detroit Pistons clinched the Central Division title with a 85-69 victory over the Miami Heat last night.

Detroit came in having lost three of four and struggled against the hapless Heat. The Pistons were missing All-Star guard Richard Hamilton (hip) for the third straight game.

Miami, which dressed only nine players, has lost 13 of its past 15 games.

• Nuggets 118, Mavericks 105 // Carmelo Anthony (Towson Catholic) had 32 points and 10 rebounds and sparked a decisive third-quarter run in host Denver's win over Dallas. Allen Iverson added 31 points for the Nuggets, who moved into a tie with Golden State for the Western Conference's eighth and final playoff spot. Nuggets forward Nene entered the game with 1:17 left, marking his return to the court 2 1/2 months after surgery to remove a malignant testicular tumor.

Off the court

• SuperSonics // Forward Chris Wilcox (Maryland), Seattle's second-leading scorer (13.4 points), will miss the rest of the season because of a dislocated finger.

Related topic galleries: Richard Hamilton, Allen Iverson, Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat

Get home delivery of The Sun and save over 50% off the newsstand price

QUICK LINKS  |  Olympics
SUN COVERAGE: MARYLAND'S OLYMPIANS
Olympics
MICHAEL PHELPS
• Photos
Olympics
KATIE HOFF
• Photos
Olympics
MORE STORIES
• Photos
Past Maryland medalists

Subscribe to this blogBLOG: From Baltimore to BeijingFrom Baltimore to Beijing

PHOTOS
Daily photo galleries
Track and field
Gymnastics
U.S. men's basketball team
Swimming
U.S. women's soccer team
U.S. men's soccer team
Opening ceremony
 Special section: Beijing Olympics

Poll: Is Phelps the greatest Olympian ever?

Is swimmer Michael Phelps the greatest Olympian of all time?

Going deep

Sun sports special reports and in-depth coverage
> 1983 O's
> Football: The tie that binds
> Orioles
> Baltimore Colts
> Going deep: Other sports