Griffin Shines As Pistons Top Magic In OT
The Detroit Pistons defeated the Orlando Magic, 120-115 in OT, at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday night.
The Pistons (19-24) and the Magic (19-25) were expected to play an intense, down-to-the-wire contest, and they didn't disappoint since they needed an overtime period to find a winner. Orlando jumped to a 34-26 lead in the first, but Detroit rallied back and won the two subsequent quarters, 32-29 and 32-21, to gain a six-point lead entering the fourth quarter. But a 25-19 lead for the Magic in the fourth extended the game towards an OT period; the final five minutes of action, however, saw Detroit win 11-6, so they secured a huge win in front of their crowd.
Six Detroit players scored in double digits as Blake Griffin led the way with an impressive 30-point effort, while Andre Drummond delivered a strong double-double of 14 points and 22 rebounds. Both Reggie Bullock and Reggie Jackson chipped in with 13 points, while two bench players reached the 10-point mark: Luke Kennard had 14 points and Langston Galloway added 13.
As it has been the case all season long, Nikola Vucevic led the way for the Magic with 24 points, 13 rebounds, and three assists. Evan Fournier had 18 points, while Aaron Gordon came close to a double-double after finishing with 12 points and eight boards before getting fouled out. Terrence Ross had an impressive effort coming off the bench since he ended with 24 points in 33 minutes of action.
The Pistons (19-24) and the Magic (19-25) were expected to play an intense, down-to-the-wire contest, and they didn't disappoint since they needed an overtime period to find a winner. Orlando jumped to a 34-26 lead in the first, but Detroit rallied back and won the two subsequent quarters, 32-29 and 32-21, to gain a six-point lead entering the fourth quarter. But a 25-19 lead for the Magic in the fourth extended the game towards an OT period; the final five minutes of action, however, saw Detroit win 11-6, so they secured a huge win in front of their crowd.
Six Detroit players scored in double digits as Blake Griffin led the way with an impressive 30-point effort, while Andre Drummond delivered a strong double-double of 14 points and 22 rebounds. Both Reggie Bullock and Reggie Jackson chipped in with 13 points, while two bench players reached the 10-point mark: Luke Kennard had 14 points and Langston Galloway added 13.
As it has been the case all season long, Nikola Vucevic led the way for the Magic with 24 points, 13 rebounds, and three assists. Evan Fournier had 18 points, while Aaron Gordon came close to a double-double after finishing with 12 points and eight boards before getting fouled out. Terrence Ross had an impressive effort coming off the bench since he ended with 24 points in 33 minutes of action.
Celtics Topple Raptors, 117-108
The Boston Celtics defeated the Toronto Raptors, 117-108, at TD Bank Arena on Wednesday evening.
The Celtics (26-18) came into the contest looking to put an end to the perpetual underachieving they've been guilty of this season. A victory over a quality division rival like the Raptors (33-13) certainly would be a step in the right direction, yet things didn't exactly start off on the right foot in the first quarter. Toronto outscored Boston by a 36-30 margin over the first 12 minutes, but the home squad roared back to forge a 64-53 lead by halftime. True to form, however, the Raptors clawed back in the third, and they led by a 104-100 margin as late as the 4:22 mark of the final period. The Celtics then finished on a 17-4 run over the final 3:54 to eradicate that deficit and nearly notch a double-digit win.
Kawhi Leonard paced the Raptors with 33 points, adding four rebounds, two assists and four steals. Serge Ibaka turned in 22 points and 10 rebounds. Danny Green managed 15 points, six rebounds and one assist. Greg Monroe and Norman Powell generated matching 11-point tallies, with Monroe also notably bringing in nine rebounds. Kyle Lowry mustered 10 points, seven assists, six rebounds, one steal and one block.
Kyrie Irving led the Celtics with 27 points, supplementing them with a career-high 18 assists, five rebounds, one steal and one block. Al Horford managed 24 points, seven rebounds, one assist and two blocks. Gordon Hayward delivered 18 points, five assists, two rebounds, one steal and one block. Jayson Tatum generated a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double that also included two assists and one block.
The Raptors head back home to take the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, while the Celtics remain home and tangle with the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday evening.
The Celtics (26-18) came into the contest looking to put an end to the perpetual underachieving they've been guilty of this season. A victory over a quality division rival like the Raptors (33-13) certainly would be a step in the right direction, yet things didn't exactly start off on the right foot in the first quarter. Toronto outscored Boston by a 36-30 margin over the first 12 minutes, but the home squad roared back to forge a 64-53 lead by halftime. True to form, however, the Raptors clawed back in the third, and they led by a 104-100 margin as late as the 4:22 mark of the final period. The Celtics then finished on a 17-4 run over the final 3:54 to eradicate that deficit and nearly notch a double-digit win.
Kawhi Leonard paced the Raptors with 33 points, adding four rebounds, two assists and four steals. Serge Ibaka turned in 22 points and 10 rebounds. Danny Green managed 15 points, six rebounds and one assist. Greg Monroe and Norman Powell generated matching 11-point tallies, with Monroe also notably bringing in nine rebounds. Kyle Lowry mustered 10 points, seven assists, six rebounds, one steal and one block.
Kyrie Irving led the Celtics with 27 points, supplementing them with a career-high 18 assists, five rebounds, one steal and one block. Al Horford managed 24 points, seven rebounds, one assist and two blocks. Gordon Hayward delivered 18 points, five assists, two rebounds, one steal and one block. Jayson Tatum generated a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double that also included two assists and one block.
The Raptors head back home to take the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, while the Celtics remain home and tangle with the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday evening.
Nets Defeat Rockets, 148-145, in OT Thriller
The Brooklyn Nets defeated the host Houston Rockets in overtime, 148-145, at Toyota Center on Wednesday.
There were five ties and 12 lead changes in this competitive game, as it took an overtime session to determine a winner. Houston actually blew an 11-point lead with 2:30 remaining in regulation, as Brooklyn ended regulation on an 18-7 run in those last final three minutes. The Rockets then blew a seven-point lead with 1:30 left in the overtime, as the Nets scored 10 unanswered points to win the game. Brooklyn's shooting was key, as they shot 52 percent from the field and 44 percent from three-point range while Houston hit just 43 percent from the field and 33 percent from long range. Ball movement played a huge factor in that, with the Nets out-assisting the Rockets, 29-18. They also dominated the boards, winning the rebounding differential, 57-47.
The Nets (23-23) were led by Spencer Dinwiddie, as he provided 33 points, two rebounds and 10 assists off the bench. Treveon Graham led the starters with 21 points and five boards. Jarrett Allen had a career game, accumulating 20 points, 24 rebounds, two assists and three blocks. Joe Harris totaled 17 points, four rebounds and seven assists. DeMarre Carroll amassed 22 points and five boards off the bench.
The Rockets (25-19) got another spectacular effort from James Harden, as he led the way with 58 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. P.J. Tucker finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and two steals. Eric Gordon re-injured his knee, as he generated 20 points, three rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes. Gerald Green led the bench with 15 points, five rebounds and two blocks.
On deck for Brooklyn is a road matchup versus the Orlando Magic on Friday. As for Houston, they're off until Saturday when they play host to the Los Angeles Lakers.
There were five ties and 12 lead changes in this competitive game, as it took an overtime session to determine a winner. Houston actually blew an 11-point lead with 2:30 remaining in regulation, as Brooklyn ended regulation on an 18-7 run in those last final three minutes. The Rockets then blew a seven-point lead with 1:30 left in the overtime, as the Nets scored 10 unanswered points to win the game. Brooklyn's shooting was key, as they shot 52 percent from the field and 44 percent from three-point range while Houston hit just 43 percent from the field and 33 percent from long range. Ball movement played a huge factor in that, with the Nets out-assisting the Rockets, 29-18. They also dominated the boards, winning the rebounding differential, 57-47.
The Nets (23-23) were led by Spencer Dinwiddie, as he provided 33 points, two rebounds and 10 assists off the bench. Treveon Graham led the starters with 21 points and five boards. Jarrett Allen had a career game, accumulating 20 points, 24 rebounds, two assists and three blocks. Joe Harris totaled 17 points, four rebounds and seven assists. DeMarre Carroll amassed 22 points and five boards off the bench.
The Rockets (25-19) got another spectacular effort from James Harden, as he led the way with 58 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. P.J. Tucker finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and two steals. Eric Gordon re-injured his knee, as he generated 20 points, three rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes. Gerald Green led the bench with 15 points, five rebounds and two blocks.
On deck for Brooklyn is a road matchup versus the Orlando Magic on Friday. As for Houston, they're off until Saturday when they play host to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bucks Walk Over Grizzlies
By Dan Bruno
The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the host Memphis Grizzlies, 111-101, at FedEx Forum on Wednesday evening.
The Bucks got out to a solid start on the road with a 28-20 lead after one quarter. The Grizzlies chipped away through the second and cut the deficit to five by halftime, as they trailed 50-45. The Bucks turned it up in the third quarter, where they outscored the Grizzlies 41-28, to take a 91-73 lead into the final frame. The Grizzlies kept fighting and made a push in the fourth, however, it was not enough, as the Bucks maintained a solid cushion, en route to their third straight win. This marks the third straight loss for Memphis.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 27 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal, in just 21 minutes. Eric Bledsoe followed up with 16 points, four assists, three steals and two rebounds, while Khris Middleton tallied 11 points, six rebounds, five assists and one steal. The Bucks shot 48 percent from the field, including 12-of-34 from long range.
Meanwhile, Omri Casspi led the Grizzlies with 17 points, six rebounds and two assists, in 35 minutes off the bench. JaMychal Green followed up with 14 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and one steal, while Marc Gasol and Mike Conley finished with 14 points each. The Grizzlies shot 39 percent from the field, including 10-of-31 from deep.
The Grizzlies (19-25) will look to bounce back as they take on the Celtics in Boston on Friday. The Bucks (32-12) take on the Magic in Orlando on Saturday.
The Bucks got out to a solid start on the road with a 28-20 lead after one quarter. The Grizzlies chipped away through the second and cut the deficit to five by halftime, as they trailed 50-45. The Bucks turned it up in the third quarter, where they outscored the Grizzlies 41-28, to take a 91-73 lead into the final frame. The Grizzlies kept fighting and made a push in the fourth, however, it was not enough, as the Bucks maintained a solid cushion, en route to their third straight win. This marks the third straight loss for Memphis.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 27 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal, in just 21 minutes. Eric Bledsoe followed up with 16 points, four assists, three steals and two rebounds, while Khris Middleton tallied 11 points, six rebounds, five assists and one steal. The Bucks shot 48 percent from the field, including 12-of-34 from long range.
Meanwhile, Omri Casspi led the Grizzlies with 17 points, six rebounds and two assists, in 35 minutes off the bench. JaMychal Green followed up with 14 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and one steal, while Marc Gasol and Mike Conley finished with 14 points each. The Grizzlies shot 39 percent from the field, including 10-of-31 from deep.
The Grizzlies (19-25) will look to bounce back as they take on the Celtics in Boston on Friday. The Bucks (32-12) take on the Magic in Orlando on Saturday.
Spurs Complete Comeback In Dallas
By Dan Bruno
The San Antonio Spurs defeated the host Dallas Mavericks, 105-101, at American Airlines Center on Wednesday evening.
The Mavs got out to a great start at home, with a 35-20 lead through one quarter. The Spurs began chipping away in the second and reduced the deficit to 11 by halftime. They kept the pressure on in the second half and outscored the Mavericks by six in the third quarter, bringing the deficit to just five points, heading into the final frame. The Spurs kept the momentum and pulled ahead early in the quarter, however, the Mavs kept up the fight. Nonetheless, the Spurs were able to pull away in the final minutes thanks to some clutch shooting, and end a two-game slide. This marks the second straight loss for Dallas.
Marco Belinelli was the high-point man for San Antonio, with 17 points on 5-of-11 shooting, in 23 minutes off the bench. DeMar DeRozan tallied 14 points, nine assists and four rebounds, while Rudy Gay added 14 points, four rebounds, one assist and a block. The Spurs shot 49 percent from the field, including 13-of-30 from long range.
Meanwhile, Luka Doncic led the Mavs with 25 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and one steal, in 35 minutes. Wesley Matthews followed up with 13 points, three rebounds and three assists, while Dorian Finney-Smith finished with 12 points and three rebounds. The Mavericks shot 43 percent form the field, including 15-of-42 from long range.
The Mavericks (20-24) will look to bounce back as they take on the Pacers in Indiana on Saturday. The Spurs (26-20) take on the Timberwolves in Minnesota on Friday.
The Mavs got out to a great start at home, with a 35-20 lead through one quarter. The Spurs began chipping away in the second and reduced the deficit to 11 by halftime. They kept the pressure on in the second half and outscored the Mavericks by six in the third quarter, bringing the deficit to just five points, heading into the final frame. The Spurs kept the momentum and pulled ahead early in the quarter, however, the Mavs kept up the fight. Nonetheless, the Spurs were able to pull away in the final minutes thanks to some clutch shooting, and end a two-game slide. This marks the second straight loss for Dallas.
Marco Belinelli was the high-point man for San Antonio, with 17 points on 5-of-11 shooting, in 23 minutes off the bench. DeMar DeRozan tallied 14 points, nine assists and four rebounds, while Rudy Gay added 14 points, four rebounds, one assist and a block. The Spurs shot 49 percent from the field, including 13-of-30 from long range.
Meanwhile, Luka Doncic led the Mavs with 25 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and one steal, in 35 minutes. Wesley Matthews followed up with 13 points, three rebounds and three assists, while Dorian Finney-Smith finished with 12 points and three rebounds. The Mavericks shot 43 percent form the field, including 15-of-42 from long range.
The Mavericks (20-24) will look to bounce back as they take on the Pacers in Indiana on Saturday. The Spurs (26-20) take on the Timberwolves in Minnesota on Friday.
Cavaliers Crushed by Trail Blazers, 129-112
The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 129-112, at Moda Center on Wednesday night.
With a key matchup against New Orleans looming, it would have been easy for the Trail Blazers (27-19) to overlook the lowly Cavaliers (9-36), but the home team did anything but that Wednesday. Cleveland managed to stick around for a half before Portland really blew things up in the final 24 minutes. Damian Lillard led the way with a game-high 33 points on 11-of-19 shooting and six assists in 32 minutes, while C.J. McCollum played just 29 minutes but still managed to bounce back from a 2-of-14 shooting performance against the Kings with 19 points. Jusuf Nurkic continues to have a stellar season, as he posted a rare triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in 28 minutes. As a team, the Blazers were on fire from behind the arc, shooting a scorching 55.2 percent from three.
As for the Cavaliers, they managed to shoot just 31.6 percent from three, and their league-worst defense was simply unable to keep pace with Portland. Jordan Clarkson provided a big spark off the bench, scoring a team-high 22 points in 29 minutes as a reserve. He led a starting unit that carried Cleveland through most of Wednesday's contest, as the team' second unit 66 of the team's 112 points. Rodney Hood led the way for the starters, scoring 20 points of his own on 7-of-15 shooting in 25 minutes. The other four starters would combine for just 36 points, as Cleveland lost for the 13th time in its last 14 outings.
With a key matchup against New Orleans looming, it would have been easy for the Trail Blazers (27-19) to overlook the lowly Cavaliers (9-36), but the home team did anything but that Wednesday. Cleveland managed to stick around for a half before Portland really blew things up in the final 24 minutes. Damian Lillard led the way with a game-high 33 points on 11-of-19 shooting and six assists in 32 minutes, while C.J. McCollum played just 29 minutes but still managed to bounce back from a 2-of-14 shooting performance against the Kings with 19 points. Jusuf Nurkic continues to have a stellar season, as he posted a rare triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in 28 minutes. As a team, the Blazers were on fire from behind the arc, shooting a scorching 55.2 percent from three.
As for the Cavaliers, they managed to shoot just 31.6 percent from three, and their league-worst defense was simply unable to keep pace with Portland. Jordan Clarkson provided a big spark off the bench, scoring a team-high 22 points in 29 minutes as a reserve. He led a starting unit that carried Cleveland through most of Wednesday's contest, as the team' second unit 66 of the team's 112 points. Rodney Hood led the way for the starters, scoring 20 points of his own on 7-of-15 shooting in 25 minutes. The other four starters would combine for just 36 points, as Cleveland lost for the 13th time in its last 14 outings.
Warriors Comeback To Beat Pelicans, 147-140
The Golden State Warriors defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 147-140, at Oracle Arena on Wednesday.
On the second game of a back-to-back, the Warriors (31-14) came out sluggish and seemed to be a bit hungover from their throttling of the Nuggets on Tuesday night. They fell behind early to the visiting, and surging, Pelicans (21-24), who opened up a lead as large as 16 points in the third quarter and appeared to be pulling away.
Then, Steph Curry happened. The two-time MVP hit seven threes in the third period on his way to scoring 23 points and leading a furious comeback that had the Warriors miraculously up by one point heading into the final 12 minutes. From there, while the Pelicans kept fighting, it was business as usual for the defending champions, as Curry and company weren't going to let it slip away at that point. Curry finished with a game-high 41 points while shooting 9-of-17 from three, while Kevin Durant added 30 points and 15 assists. As a team, Golden State shot a ridiculous 24-of-49 (49 percent) from three in the winning effort.
The Pelicans, on the other hand, were even more impressive with their arial assault, as they shot a scorching 19-of-37 (51.4 percent) from the field, but it wouldn't be enough. Anthony Davis led the way as usual with 30 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists in 41 minutes, while Nikola Mirotic was close behind with 29 points in 29 minutes off the bench. New Orleans' third frontcourt star, Julius Randle, shot just 6-of-8 from the field, but still managed to finish with 23 points in 22 minutes.
On the second game of a back-to-back, the Warriors (31-14) came out sluggish and seemed to be a bit hungover from their throttling of the Nuggets on Tuesday night. They fell behind early to the visiting, and surging, Pelicans (21-24), who opened up a lead as large as 16 points in the third quarter and appeared to be pulling away.
Then, Steph Curry happened. The two-time MVP hit seven threes in the third period on his way to scoring 23 points and leading a furious comeback that had the Warriors miraculously up by one point heading into the final 12 minutes. From there, while the Pelicans kept fighting, it was business as usual for the defending champions, as Curry and company weren't going to let it slip away at that point. Curry finished with a game-high 41 points while shooting 9-of-17 from three, while Kevin Durant added 30 points and 15 assists. As a team, Golden State shot a ridiculous 24-of-49 (49 percent) from three in the winning effort.
The Pelicans, on the other hand, were even more impressive with their arial assault, as they shot a scorching 19-of-37 (51.4 percent) from the field, but it wouldn't be enough. Anthony Davis led the way as usual with 30 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists in 41 minutes, while Nikola Mirotic was close behind with 29 points in 29 minutes off the bench. New Orleans' third frontcourt star, Julius Randle, shot just 6-of-8 from the field, but still managed to finish with 23 points in 22 minutes.
Jazz Blow Out Clippers, 129-109
By Oscar Heanue
The Utah Jazz took down the Los Angeles Clippers, 129-109, at Staples Center on Wednesday.
It was a comfortable win for the Jazz (25-21), who held a double-digit lead for the majority of regulation. Utah played a remarkably efficient game, shooting 52 percent from the field and reaching the free-throw line 37 times. Los Angeles (24-20), on the other hand, was unable to make a dent in Utah's impressive defense. Despite boasting one of the league's highest-scoring offenses, the Clippers shot only 45 percent from the field and tallied just 49 first-half points.
Utah saw an incredible 23-points, 22-rebound performance from star center Rudy Gobert. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year set a new season high on the boards and also blocked four shots. The Jazz also enjoyed a team-high 28 points from sophomore guard Donovan Mitchell.
The Clippers, meanwhile, were not themselves in Wednesday's loss. LA's combo of star forwards, Tobias Harris and Danilo Gallinari, shot just 9-of-28 from the field for 26 points. Big man Montrezl Harrell, fresh off consecutive 20-point performances, scored only 11 points off the bench on the night.
On Friday, Utah will host the Cleveland Cavaliers, while Los Angeles will square off with the Golden State Warriors.
It was a comfortable win for the Jazz (25-21), who held a double-digit lead for the majority of regulation. Utah played a remarkably efficient game, shooting 52 percent from the field and reaching the free-throw line 37 times. Los Angeles (24-20), on the other hand, was unable to make a dent in Utah's impressive defense. Despite boasting one of the league's highest-scoring offenses, the Clippers shot only 45 percent from the field and tallied just 49 first-half points.
Utah saw an incredible 23-points, 22-rebound performance from star center Rudy Gobert. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year set a new season high on the boards and also blocked four shots. The Jazz also enjoyed a team-high 28 points from sophomore guard Donovan Mitchell.
The Clippers, meanwhile, were not themselves in Wednesday's loss. LA's combo of star forwards, Tobias Harris and Danilo Gallinari, shot just 9-of-28 from the field for 26 points. Big man Montrezl Harrell, fresh off consecutive 20-point performances, scored only 11 points off the bench on the night.
On Friday, Utah will host the Cleveland Cavaliers, while Los Angeles will square off with the Golden State Warriors.