Pacers Go From Bad to Horrible

The Indiana Pacers are doing some early soul searching, thanks to Kareem Rush and the second-year Charlotte Bobcats.

Rush scored a career-high 35 points and rookie Raymond Felton added 18 points and 10 assists in his first career start to help the Bobcats stop a five-game losing streak with a surprising 122-90 victory over the Pacers at Charlotte, N.C.

It was the most points scored and the largest margin of victory for the Bobcats.

“We shouldn’t even get paid for this game,” said Indiana forward Jermaine O’Neal, who had 17 points and eight rebounds. “I’m not trying to take anything away from the Bobcats, they played a heck of a game, but we feel like we are at another level. I felt like we were the expansion team tonight. I’m thoroughly embarrassed.”

Rush, for at least a night, overcame his 34% shooting, making 11 of 18 shots, including six of seven three-point attempts.

Ron Artest scored 27 points for the Pacers, who were coming off Saturday’s loss at the buzzer at Milwaukee in which they blew a 14-point lead.

Philadelphia 121, Toronto 115 -- Allen Iverson scored a season-high 42 points at Toronto and the 76ers led by 20 points in the first quarter en route to their sixth straight victory. Mike James had a career-high 38 points for the Raptors, who fell to 0-8 for the first time in their 11-year history.

Seattle 113, Boston 100 -- Ray Allen scored 32 points to help the SuperSonics turn an 18-point halftime lead into an easy victory at Boston.

Paul Pierce had 22 points and Ricky Davis added 21 points for the Celtics.

Memphis 115, Phoenix 103 -- Damon Stoudamire scored 12 of his 26 points on five-of-six shooting in the fourth quarter at Phoenix to help the Grizzlies to their third straight victory. Shawn Marion had 23 points for Phoenix, which fell to 1-4 at home and 1-3 on its five-game home stand.

Milwaukee 90, Golden State 87 -- Michael Redd scored 27 points to help the Bucks end a 17-game road losing streak against Western Conference teams. Jason Richardson had 21 points and eight rebounds for Golden State.

Denver 91, New Orleans 81 -- Carmelo Anthony had a season-high 31 points and keyed a decisive 13-point, fourth-quarter run to help the Nuggets prevail at Oklahoma City. Chris Paul had 18 points for New Orleans, which lost its fourth in a row.

Portland 96, Chicago 93 -- Zach Randolph had 22 points and 10 rebounds and Theo Ratliff’s follow-up dunk off a Sebastian Telfair miss put the Trail Blazers ahead for good with eight seconds left at Portland, Ore. Michael Sweetney had 24 points and 14 rebounds for Chicago.

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Toronto signed former Clipper Darrick Martin, 34.... Boston Celtic guard Tony Allen was indicted on three counts of aggravated battery stemming from a fight that escalated into a shooting outside a Chicago diner in August. Aggravated battery carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.... Former NBA player Johnny Newman, 41, received a 60-day suspended sentence and a $500 fine for assaulting his wife in Richmond, Va.