Raptors Win Tight Affair Against Magic With Last-Second Shot
The Toronto Raptors defeated the Orlando Magic, 93-91, at Amway Center on Tuesday.
The Raptors (14-4) and the Magic (9-9) played a tight encounter on Tuesday, as this game was decided on a last-second bucket by Danny Green with only 0.5 seconds remaining after several back-and-forth buckets down the stretch. Toronto jumped ahead in the game with a 29-17 lead after the first quarter, but Orlando flipped the script in the subsequent two quarters: 20-18 in the second, and 38-26 in the third one. As such, the Magic entered the final 12 minutes of action with a two-point lead. But Toronto once again showed their ability to close games down, and ended winning after a 20-16 fourth quarter, and Green's jumper following an assist from Kyle Lowry. It was a thrilling end for a tight encounter that was decided down to the wire.
Four Toronto players scored in double digits, and all nine players that saw action scored at least four points. Kawhi Leonard led the way with 18 points and six rebounds, while Pascal Siakam contributed with 15 points and nine boards. Green not only scored the game-winning shot, but he ended with 13 points. Serge Ibaka chipped in with 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
Evan Fournier was the highest-scorer in the game since he finished with 27 points, four assists, and three rebounds. Aaron Gordon scored 16 points with nine rebounds and three blocks, and Nikola Vucevic posted a strong double-double of 14 points, 17 boards and four assists. No other player scored in double digits, but Jonathan Isaac (nine points, five boards) and Mo Bamba (seven points, five rebounds) contributed off the bench.
The Raptors (14-4) and the Magic (9-9) played a tight encounter on Tuesday, as this game was decided on a last-second bucket by Danny Green with only 0.5 seconds remaining after several back-and-forth buckets down the stretch. Toronto jumped ahead in the game with a 29-17 lead after the first quarter, but Orlando flipped the script in the subsequent two quarters: 20-18 in the second, and 38-26 in the third one. As such, the Magic entered the final 12 minutes of action with a two-point lead. But Toronto once again showed their ability to close games down, and ended winning after a 20-16 fourth quarter, and Green's jumper following an assist from Kyle Lowry. It was a thrilling end for a tight encounter that was decided down to the wire.
Four Toronto players scored in double digits, and all nine players that saw action scored at least four points. Kawhi Leonard led the way with 18 points and six rebounds, while Pascal Siakam contributed with 15 points and nine boards. Green not only scored the game-winning shot, but he ended with 13 points. Serge Ibaka chipped in with 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
Evan Fournier was the highest-scorer in the game since he finished with 27 points, four assists, and three rebounds. Aaron Gordon scored 16 points with nine rebounds and three blocks, and Nikola Vucevic posted a strong double-double of 14 points, 17 boards and four assists. No other player scored in double digits, but Jonathan Isaac (nine points, five boards) and Mo Bamba (seven points, five rebounds) contributed off the bench.
Wizards Outscore Clippers, 125-118
The Washington Wizards defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, 125-118, at Capital One Arena on Tuesday evening.
The Wizards (6-11) came into the contest with controversy swirling around them, given recent rumors that no current player is untouchable in a trade and plenty of rumblings about infighting among some of the team's stars. Therefore, when the Clippers (11-6) opened up a 40-21 first-quarter lead, it wasn't likely to much of anyone's surprise and normally would have set the tone for a blowout win for the visitors. That wasn't to be Tuesday, however, as Washington clawed back by outscoring Los Angeles, 65-55, in the middle periods. That allowed them to enter the final 12 minutes with a 95-86 lead, one that they'd preserve by showing some impressive killer instinct while outpacing their visitors by a 39-23 fourth-quarter margin.
Tobias Harris led the way for the Clippers with 29 points, a total he supplemented with nine rebounds and one assist. Montrezl Harrell managed 20 points, nine rebounds, two assists and one block. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lou Williams each provided 17 points. Marcin Gortat posted nine points and seven rebounds against his old Wizards teammates.
John Wall paced the Wizards with 30 points and added eight assists, four rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Bradley Beal generated 27 points, seven assists, three rebounds and one block. Jeff Green followed with a bench-leading 20 points and complemented them with seven boards, three assists, one steal and one block. Tomas Satoransky turned in 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block. Markieff Morris poured in 12 points and added five rebounds and a pair of assists off the bench.
The Clippers return home to take on the Grizzlies on Friday afternoon, while the Wizards remain home and tangle with the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.
The Wizards (6-11) came into the contest with controversy swirling around them, given recent rumors that no current player is untouchable in a trade and plenty of rumblings about infighting among some of the team's stars. Therefore, when the Clippers (11-6) opened up a 40-21 first-quarter lead, it wasn't likely to much of anyone's surprise and normally would have set the tone for a blowout win for the visitors. That wasn't to be Tuesday, however, as Washington clawed back by outscoring Los Angeles, 65-55, in the middle periods. That allowed them to enter the final 12 minutes with a 95-86 lead, one that they'd preserve by showing some impressive killer instinct while outpacing their visitors by a 39-23 fourth-quarter margin.
Tobias Harris led the way for the Clippers with 29 points, a total he supplemented with nine rebounds and one assist. Montrezl Harrell managed 20 points, nine rebounds, two assists and one block. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lou Williams each provided 17 points. Marcin Gortat posted nine points and seven rebounds against his old Wizards teammates.
John Wall paced the Wizards with 30 points and added eight assists, four rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Bradley Beal generated 27 points, seven assists, three rebounds and one block. Jeff Green followed with a bench-leading 20 points and complemented them with seven boards, three assists, one steal and one block. Tomas Satoransky turned in 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block. Markieff Morris poured in 12 points and added five rebounds and a pair of assists off the bench.
The Clippers return home to take on the Grizzlies on Friday afternoon, while the Wizards remain home and tangle with the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.
Nets Defeat Heat, 104-92
By Oscar Heanue
The Brooklyn Nets took down the Miami Heat, 104-92, at American Airlines Arena on Tuesday evening.
Last week, Brooklyn (8-10) took a loss to Miami (6-11) on its home court. On Tuesday, the Nets evened the score, stealing one from the Heat in Miami. While the Heat entered the fourth quarter with the lead, Brooklyn was able to quickly jump ahead, going on a 9-0 run to take the lead in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter. After returning from a timeout, point guard D'Angelo Russell returned to the floor, delivering an electric performance to close out the game. Eight of Russell's 20 points came in the fourth quarter, including two jumpers in under 20 seconds, which helped push the Brooklyn lead to six.
The win snapped Brooklyn out of a bit of a cold streak, as the team had dropped four of its previous five contests. Russell led the Nets with 20 points; he also added nine rebounds, six assists, and four steals. Big man Jarrett Allen, meanwhile, scored 13 points to go with 14 rebounds and two blocks. Both Russell and Allen have stepped up in recent games, as the team continues to cope with the absence of breakout star Caris LeVert (ankle).
Miami's offense simply could not get things going, as the team shot just 36 percent from the field. Star center Hassan Whiteside did everything he could to make up for his team's poor shooting, grabbing 11 offensive rebounds to finish with a whopping 23 total boards. Even a 20-20 night from Whiteside could not win it for the Heat, though, as the team went just 7-of-32 from three-point range in a night they will hope to soon forget.
Veteran star Dwyane Wade made his return to action after missing nearly two weeks due to the birth of his child. He scored five points in 13 minutes off the bench.
The Nets face the second half of a back-to-back on Wednesday, as they will visit the Mavericks in Dallas. Miami, meanwhile, will regroup on Friday to face off against the Bulls.
Last week, Brooklyn (8-10) took a loss to Miami (6-11) on its home court. On Tuesday, the Nets evened the score, stealing one from the Heat in Miami. While the Heat entered the fourth quarter with the lead, Brooklyn was able to quickly jump ahead, going on a 9-0 run to take the lead in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter. After returning from a timeout, point guard D'Angelo Russell returned to the floor, delivering an electric performance to close out the game. Eight of Russell's 20 points came in the fourth quarter, including two jumpers in under 20 seconds, which helped push the Brooklyn lead to six.
The win snapped Brooklyn out of a bit of a cold streak, as the team had dropped four of its previous five contests. Russell led the Nets with 20 points; he also added nine rebounds, six assists, and four steals. Big man Jarrett Allen, meanwhile, scored 13 points to go with 14 rebounds and two blocks. Both Russell and Allen have stepped up in recent games, as the team continues to cope with the absence of breakout star Caris LeVert (ankle).
Miami's offense simply could not get things going, as the team shot just 36 percent from the field. Star center Hassan Whiteside did everything he could to make up for his team's poor shooting, grabbing 11 offensive rebounds to finish with a whopping 23 total boards. Even a 20-20 night from Whiteside could not win it for the Heat, though, as the team went just 7-of-32 from three-point range in a night they will hope to soon forget.
Veteran star Dwyane Wade made his return to action after missing nearly two weeks due to the birth of his child. He scored five points in 13 minutes off the bench.
The Nets face the second half of a back-to-back on Wednesday, as they will visit the Mavericks in Dallas. Miami, meanwhile, will regroup on Friday to face off against the Bulls.
Blazers Defeat Knicks 118-114
By Jason Rubin
The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the New York Knicks 118-114 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard were too much to handle for the Knicks at home as they fell for a sixth straight game. New York paced the game well and entered the half up two points, but their very small lineup that consisted of four guards late failed to secure a defensive rebound down two points. Evan Turner's timed a missed Lillard shot perfectly which gave him the easy two point put back shot, and Enes Kanter missed a skyhook in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter, which secured the win for the Blazers (11-5).
McCollum finished with 31 points and four rebounds on 13-of-23 shooting, which included five made threes. Lillard added 29 points, eight assists and six rebounds, while Jusuf Nurkic pitched in 13 points, 10 rebounds and four dimes. The Knicks (4-13) were led by Tim Hardaway Jr, who has now scored 29-plus points in his last three outings, and finished Tuesday with 32 points, to go with five rebounds and four assists on 10-of-21 shooting. Rookies Kevin Knox and Mitchell Robinson were quiet off the bench and combined for eight points. Robinson did add two blocks in his 18 minutes of action.
Both teams play the second game of a back-to-back on Wednesday, as the Knicks visit the Boston Celtics and the Blazers visit the Milwaukee Bucks.
CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard were too much to handle for the Knicks at home as they fell for a sixth straight game. New York paced the game well and entered the half up two points, but their very small lineup that consisted of four guards late failed to secure a defensive rebound down two points. Evan Turner's timed a missed Lillard shot perfectly which gave him the easy two point put back shot, and Enes Kanter missed a skyhook in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter, which secured the win for the Blazers (11-5).
McCollum finished with 31 points and four rebounds on 13-of-23 shooting, which included five made threes. Lillard added 29 points, eight assists and six rebounds, while Jusuf Nurkic pitched in 13 points, 10 rebounds and four dimes. The Knicks (4-13) were led by Tim Hardaway Jr, who has now scored 29-plus points in his last three outings, and finished Tuesday with 32 points, to go with five rebounds and four assists on 10-of-21 shooting. Rookies Kevin Knox and Mitchell Robinson were quiet off the bench and combined for eight points. Robinson did add two blocks in his 18 minutes of action.
Both teams play the second game of a back-to-back on Wednesday, as the Knicks visit the Boston Celtics and the Blazers visit the Milwaukee Bucks.