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The Atlanta Hawks (54 - 17) defeated the Orlando Magic (22 - 51) 95 - 83 on Wednesday at the Amway Center in Orlando. Taking their second loss in a row, the Magic were finally eliminated from playoff contention in the East. The Hawks, on the other hand, continued to build their lead as the top overall projected playoff seed. Despite losing five of their last ten games, they're still eight and a half games ahead of the second place Cleveland Cavaliers. Both teams struggled shooting the ball, as the Hawks went 43 percent from the field and 32 percent from the three - point line, while the Magic finished at 41 percent from the floor and just 19 percent from deep. Paul Millsap led the way for the Hawks, finishing with 25 points (9 - 20 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), 11 rebounds and four blocked shots. It was his second consecutive impressive performance, as he's now combined for 47 points and 18 rebounds over his last two games. Jeff Teague shot the ball well, going 7 - for - 12 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 16 points, while also adding nine assists. He has n't necessarily been scoring all too much lately, considering he recorded 12 points or less in each of his last three games, so it was good to see the point guard have a little more success Wednesday. Nearly recording a double - double, Kyle Korver added 13 points (5 - 12 FG, 3 - 9 3Pt), eight rebounds and two blocked shots. He's now pushed his season averages to 12 points and 4 rebounds on the year. Both Al Horford and DeMarre Carroll reached double figures in points as well with 10 and 11 points respectively. The Magic received another strong contribution from Elfrid Payton, who nearly triple - doubled with 19 points (7 - 19 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT), nine rebounds and seven assists over 35 minutes. He's been filling up the stat sheet of late and doing a little bit of everything, as he's averaging 14 points, 9 rebounds, 10 assists and three steals over his last three games. Nikola Vucevic also did his best to keep the Magic in this game, finishing with 16 points (8 - 15 FG) and 12 rebounds. He's had a couple solid games in a row, combining for 36 points and 20 rebounds over his last two games. Victor Oladipo did n't necessarily have the best night shooting the ball, but chipped in with 16 points (4 - 10 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT) and four assists as well. Over his last three games, he's averaging 21 points, 6 rebounds and five assists, but is shooting just 38 percent from the field. The Hawks' next game will be at home against the Miami Heat on Friday, while the Magic will be at home against the Detroit Pistons on Friday.
["TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 19 Percentage of 3 points ,has 41 Percentage of field goals ,has 51 Losses ,has 83 Total points ,has 19 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 22 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 32 Percentage of 3 points ,has 43 Percentage of field goals ,has 17 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 54 Points in 3rd quarter ."]
The Memphis Grizzlies (7 - 1) were able to hold off a late push from the Los Angeles Lakers (1 - 6) with a finishing score of 107 - 102 for their seventh win of the season. The Lakers just ca n't seem to get over the hump, and are off to a tough start through their first seven games of the season. Even with Kobe Bryant lighting up the box score with 28 points (10 - 26 FG, 3 - 10 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), to go along with seven rebounds, six assists and four steals, it just was n't enough. The Lakers got some solid production from their starters, with all five players scoring in double figures, but the bench totaled just 14 points in the loss. Jordan Hill posted a double - double with 13 points (6 - 17 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and 14 rebounds, while also contributing three assists, two steals and two blocks. The Lakers now head to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans on Wednesday. The Grizzlies on the other hand are looking like a serious contender right now, and a large part of that is thanks to their consistency across the board. Six players scored in double figures, but every player who was on the floor contributed in some manner when they were out there. Mike Conley led the way scoring 23 points (7 - 16 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), with three assists, three steals and one rebound. Even the lone starter who did n't score in double figures, Marc Gasol, nearly had a triple - double, with eight points (3 - 10 FG, 2 - 2 FT), nine assists and eight rebounds. The Grizzlies get a night off before taking on the Sacramento Kings at home on Thursday.
["TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 1 Losses ,has 107 Total points ,has 7 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 6 Losses ,has 102 Total points ,has 1 Wins ."]
The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the host Orlando Magic, 113 - 108, at Amway Center on Wednesday. While there were a lot of stars in this game, it's some of the undervalued players who had career nights. Both Aaron Gordon and Austin Rivers led their teams in scoring, as these are two teams that desperately need more contributions from their role players. Shooting was the difference for the Clippers, as they shot 50 percent from both the field and from the free - throw line. Despite this game being close throughout, the Clippers led for every minute after the first quarter. In fact, neither team held a double - digit lead, as there were just seven ties and four lead changes. Los Angeles (19 - 7) is starting to recapture their early season form and road wins like this only add to their impressive resume '. Austin Rivers was the star, as he scored a team - high 25 points on 9 - of - 12 shooting. Blake Griffin was n't far behind, as he tallied 23 points, seven rebounds and three assists. DeAndre Jordan had one of his best scoring games of the year, totaling 22 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks, while going 12 - of - 18 from the free - throw line. Chris Paul recorded a 16 - point, 10 - assist double - double. Los Angeles will return to action on Friday in a road matchup against the Miami Heat. Orlando (11 - 16) has now lost six - straight games at home, as they continue to disappoint. Aaron Gordon did all he could though, dropping a career - high 33 points on 13 - of - 21 shooting. Evan Fournier accumulated 23 points and eight assists as the primary ball - handler for Orlando. Jeff Green was the only other Magic player in double figures, as he scored 19 points off the bench. Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo both fell just shy of double - doubles, as they combined for 17 points and 20 rebounds in the defeat. Orlando's next game will be on Friday, when they host the Brooklyn Nets.
["TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 16 Percentage of field goals ,has 108 Losses ,has 11 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Clippers') has 50 Percentage of field goals ,has 113 Losses ."]
The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Indiana Pacers 131 - 109 at Moda Center on Wednesday. The Blazers (10 - 10) had little trouble handling the Pacers (9 - 10) after three straight quarters above 30 points, including an explosive second quarter where Portland ran away with the game. The Blazers took 73 - 58 halftime lead and expanded on it in the third quarter. The final period had one moment where the Pacers looked to climb back into the game after Al Jefferson dropped in a short turn around hook shot to cut the lead to 13 points. Damian Lillard responds with a driving layup and the Blazers did not have to look back. Six Blazers players finished in double figures scoring, as Maurice Harkless, Mason Plumlee, Lillard and C.J. McCollum cracked double digits. Harkless and Lillard led the way 23 points and 28 points, respecitvally, but it was McCollum's hot hand in the second half that staved off the Pacers comeback attempts. Evan Turner and Allen Crabbe rounded out the rest of the double digit scorers, with both players combining for 28 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting. The Pacers were led by Jeff Teague, while Paul George (ankle) was sidelined. Teague finished with 25 points, eight assists, five rebounds and one block in 34 minutes. Myles Turner completed a double - double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Glenn Robinson III continued to play effective minutes amongst the starters with 15 points and four rebounds on 6 - of - 10 shooting. Next up, the Hawks host the Detroit Pistons on Friday, while the Pacers visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
["TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 10 Losses ,has 131 Total points ,has 10 Points in 1st quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 10 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 23 Points in 1st quarter ,has 9 Wins ."]
The Denver Nuggets (26 - 41) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (36 - 30) 118 - 111 on Sunday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. With 12 seconds left in the game, Anthony Davis came up clutch for the Pelicans, hitting a jumper to put them up by two. On the next possession down, Kenneth Faried matched Davis and converted on a layup to tie the game up with just four seconds left in regulation. Davis then had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but his shot was long and rattled out of the hoop. In overtime, the Pelicans again had a three - point lead with just under 10 seconds left. Will Barton was the savior this time around and tied the game with a huge three - pointer for the Nuggets on the next possession, forcing it into a second overtime. The Pelicans struggled offensively in the second overtime, with Tyreke Evans scoring their only two points, and they went on to take a seven - point loss. This was a tough loss for the Pelicans, who are in a fierce battle for the eighth and final playoff seed in the Western Conference standings. They now sit a full game back from Oklahoma City for that eighth seed, so they'll need bounce back with a win on Tuesday. Despite taking the loss, Davis continued to play extremely well, as he finished with a game - high of 36 points (16 - 28 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) to go along with 14 rebounds, seven assists and nine blocked shots. He did a little bit of everything in this game, nearly recording a quadruple - double by the end. Davis recorded his fifth double - double of his last six games, a six - game stretch where he's averaged 31 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks. Evans came just short of a triple - double of his own and posted 25 points (11 - 20 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT), nine rebounds and 10 assists. He's shot extremely well of late, finishing 55 percent or higher from the field in each of his last three games. Along with making a game - tying bucket at the end of regulation, Faried also posted 20 points (7 - 17 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and 10 rebounds in the win. With Jusuf Nurkic returning to the starting lineup at center, Faried was able to move back to his natural power forward position. The Nuggets also saw a strong bench effort, with both Barton and Jameer Nelson reaching double figures. Barton recorded 25 points (10 - 16 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and nine rebounds in 47 minutes while Nelson posted 18 points (7 - 16 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt) and six assists in 38 minutes. Since joining the Nuggets at the trade deadline, he's averaged 14 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steals over 13 games. Ty Lawson chipped in with 19 points (9 - 18 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt) and nine assists in his return to action after sitting out the Nuggets' last game with an illness. The Pelicans' next game will be at home against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, while the Nuggets will travel to Memphis to play the Grizzlies on Monday.
["TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 30 Losses ,has 111 Total points ,has 36 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 41 Losses ,has 118 Total points ,has 26 Wins ."]
The Dallas Mavericks (25 - 19) defeated the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves (13 - 31) 106 - 94 in overtime at American Airlines Center on Wednesday. This game was close the whole way, tied at halftime and tied at the end of 48. However, Dallas turned it up for the overtime period, outscoring the Timberwolves 17 - 5 to win its second consecutive in OT. The Mavs were shorthanded, missing Dirk Nowitzki (knee), and Raymond Felton (eye). Zaza Pachulia was listed as questionable, with a sore Achilles but ended up starting and logging 12 points (4 - 7 FG), four rebounds and three steals, in his 33 minutes. Chandler Parsons carried the offensive load for Dallas. He led all scorers with 30 points (13 - 20 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt), along with eight rebounds, two assists and one steal, in 45 long minutes. Wesley Matthews finished with 15 points (6 - 16 FG), six rebounds, four assists and two steals, in 40 minutes. Dallas got beat in almost every category, as the Timberwolves shot better, had more rebounds, assists and blocks. However, the Mavericks had 11 steals and forced Minnesota into 17 turnovers, which was enough to give them the edge. Karl-Anthony Towns had perhaps the best game of his short career thus far. Towns finished with 27 points (12 - 19 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), 17 rebounds, six blocked shots, three assists and one steal, in 36 minutes. Andrew Wiggins tallied 23 points (9 - 17 FG), seven rebounds and three assists, in 40 minutes. Shabazz Muhammad was impactful in 35 minutes off the bench, finishing with 14 points (6 - 16 FG) and seven rebounds. Although, the Timberwolves did a good job competing in Dallas, too many turnovers meant their woes continue, as they are now 1 - 9 in their last 10. Minnesota will have a couple days rest before the Grizzlies come to town on Saturday. The Mavericks will have their hands full when they host the surging OKC Thunder on Friday.
["TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 19 Losses ,has 106 Total points ,has 25 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 31 Losses ,has 94 Total points ,has 17 Turnovers ,has 13 Wins ."]
The Philadelphia 76ers (10 - 68) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (29 - 48) 107 - 93 on Tuesday. A battle of last place teams turned into a surprisingly easy victory for the normally tough - luck Sixers, who got Nerlens Noel (knee) back on the court for the contest. Noel was on a pre - announced playing time restriction of 20 minutes, and actually came just short of that. He managed four points, six rebounds and a block over 18 minutes, making good on his vow to return to action before the conclusion of the regular season. Philadelphia, which has given several playoff - caliber teams trouble this season, came back from a 29 - 21 deficit after one quarter to trample the Pelicans in the second and third periods by a combined score of 67 - 44. They received a highly productive effort from their bench, which accounted for 55 of their 107 points on the night. The Pelicans were paced by a 19 - point effort from Dante Cunningham, who also added a pair of rebounds and an assist. Luke Babbitt turned in another productive effort at small forward, managing 16 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. Alexis Ajinca, getting a start at center over Omer Asik, tallied a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Tim Frazier matched Ajinca's point total and added nine assists, six rebounds and three steals. James Ennis continued his solid play off the bench by leading the reserves with 11 points, two assists, a rebound and a block. New Orleans remains in last place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They had to Boston to take on the Celtics on Wednesday. Philadelphia was led by a 22 - point effort from Carl Landry, who also added nine rebounds, an assist and two steals off the bench. Isaiah Canaan followed by leading the starting five with 16 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal. Robert Covington was next with a near double - double consisting of 12 points, nine boards, three assists, four steals and a block. Jerami Grant pitched in with 10 points, three rebounds, an assist and a pair of steals. Nik Stauskas and Hollis Thompson were also productive in reserve roles, managing a pair of 13 - point efforts. The Sixers remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They're home again on Friday night to face off with the New York Knicks.
["TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 68 Losses ,has 107 Total points ,has 21 Points in 1st quarter ,has 10 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 48 Losses ,has 93 Total points ,has 29 Points in 1st quarter ,has 29 Wins ."]
The Pistons scored a season - high 136 points, as they went on to rout the 76ers. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the way for the Pistons with 26 points on impressive 9 - of - 11 shooting from the field. Five other players scored in double digits for the Pistons, including Marcus Morris, who finished with 22 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting, in 34 minutes. Tobias Harris chipped in 20 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting, in 32 minutes off the bench. Ish Smith was solid in 23 minutes off the bench, with 13 assists and 11 points. Meanwhile, Nik Stauskas was the high - point man for Philly with 24 points on 10 - of - 15 shooting. Dario Saric followed up with 19 points, a career - high eight assists, and six rebounds, in 29 minutes, while T.J. McConnell chipped in 10 points to go along with eight assists, in 23 minutes.
["TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 136 Total points ."]
The Miami Heat defeated the host Brooklyn Nets, 109 - 106, at Barclay's Center on Wednesday. This was a game that appeared to be over headed into the fourth quarter, but Miami had other ideas. In fact, Brooklyn led by 18 points headed into the fourth quarter, as the Heat outscored the Nets, 38 - 17, to pull out an amazing comeback win. The statistics tell the story, with Miami winning the shooting, rebounding, assisting and turnover differentials. Three-point shooting was a huge factor as well, with the Heat hitting 11 - of - 23, while the Nets went just 13 - of - 35 from long range. The Heat (16 - 30) have now won five - straight games, with this victory being the most satisfying of the bunch. Goran Dragic fell just shy of a triple - double, as he accumulated 17 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Dion Waiters led the team in scoring for the third - straight game, as he tallied 24 points, five rebounds and eight assists. Wayne Ellington was huge off the bench, dropping 22 points and adding four boards. Willie Reed and Okaro White were also nice sparks off the bench, combining for 24 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks. Miami will look to keep rolling on Friday against the Miami Heat. The Nets (9 - 36) have had a rough season, as epic meltdowns like this show just how bad they're struggling. Brook Lopez did all he could though, as he scored a game - high 33 points, to go along with four rebounds and three assists. Bojan Bogdanovic was second on the team, as he accrued 17 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Caris LeVert was the only bench player in double figures, providing 12 points and four assists. The Nets will play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday for their next game.
["TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 36 Losses ,has 106 Total points ,has 17 Points in 4th quarter ,has 9 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 30 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 38 Points in 4th quarter ,has 16 Wins ."]
The Oklahoma City Thunder (30 - 25) continued to roll Saturday, defeating the Charlotte Hornets (22 - 31) by a score of 110 - 103 With Kevin Durant sidelined with soreness in his foot, Russell Westbrook once again was tasked with carrying the load for the Thunder. Westbrook notched his 14th double - double of the season by putting up 31 points (12 - 27 FG) and 10 assists. The game was tied at 94 with just under six minutes remaining, but Oklahoma City pulled away in the end. Oklahoma City had several players make their Thunder debuts Saturday, including Enes Kanter, Kyle Singler, and D.J Augustin. Kanter, who was acquired at the trade deadline, finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds over 32 minutes in his first appearance as a member of the Thunder. Augustin saw 23 minutes of playing time and contributed 13 points, three rebounds, and two assists. Oklahoma City could be getting Durant back for Sunday's matchup with Denver. Charlotte's Mo Williams played his first game in a Hornets uniform Saturday after being acquired prior to the All-Star break. Williams got the start at point guard and had a team - high 24 points to go with 12 assists. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist returned to the lineup after a hamstring injury sidelined him shortly before the break. In other injury news, Kemba Walker is targeting a mid - March return date as he recovers from surgery on his torn meniscus and Bismack Biyombo has been cleared to resume basketball activities and should miss just three more games. The Hornets will finish up their back - to - back set Sunday against the Mavericks.
["TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 31 Losses ,has 103 Total points ,has 22 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 25 Losses ,has 110 Total points ,has 30 Wins ."]
Dallas outscored Washington by a 39 - 27 margin in the final 12 minutes to seal the comeback win. The Mavs shot 51 percent from the field and 44 percent from three - point range. Their effort overcame the dynamic duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal, who combined for 50 of the Wizards' 107 points. Harrison Barnes' near - double - double of 22 points and nine rebounds led Dallas. Dirk Nowitzki contributed 20 points, while Seth Curry pitched in 19. Nerlens Noel led the bench with 12 points and Nicolas Brussino supplied 11 points, nine boards and two steals in 23 minutes. Wall's 26 - point, 11 - assist double - double led the Wizards. Beal was right behind him with 24 points, while Bojan Bogdanovic paced the bench with 19. Otto Porter, Jr. posted a 14 - point, 10 - rebound double - double and Marcin Gortat mustered eight points and 10 boards.
["TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 107 Total points ,has 27 Points in 4th quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 39 Total points ."]
The Boston Celtics (31 - 39) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (29 - 40) 110 - 91 on Monday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Celtics got a big win Monday, as they jumped the Charlotte Hornets for the eighth and final projected playoff seed in the Eastern Conference standings. They now sit tied with the Hornets, but own the tiebreaker, while also trailing the Miami Heat by just a game and a half. The Nets, on the other hand, are still in the thick of things as well, considering they're only a game and a half behind the Celtics for that final spot. It's a tight race for those final two projected playoff spots, with the Heat, Celtics, Hornets, Pacers and Nets all within three games of each other. The Celtics were the superior shooters in this game, going 51 percent from the floor and 27 percent from the three - point line, while the Nets went just 36 percent from the field and an embarrassing six percent from beyond the arc. The win was a true team effort for the Celtics though, with six players reaching double figures. Avery Bradley led the way, finishing with a team - high of 20 points (8 - 16 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), to go along with seven rebounds in 32 minutes. After shooting just 30 percent (3 - 10 FG) from the field during Sunday's matchup with the Pistons, it was a nice bounce - back game for Bradley. Evan Turner came up with a surprise triple - double, finishing with 19 points (9 - 13 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), 10 rebounds and 12 assists. It was his third straight impressive game, averaging 20 points, 6 rebounds and eight assists during that span. Coming just shy of double - double, Tyler Zeller posted 18 points (9 - 13 FG) and seven rebounds in 30 minutes. The Celtics also had a strong bench showing with Kelly Olynyk recording an efficient 18 points (7 - 12 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and five rebounds in just 17 minutes, while Jonas Jerebko added 10 points (5 - 12 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt) and six rebounds of his own. The Nets received nearly all of their production from center Brook Lopez, who went off for a game - high of 31 points (12 - 19 FG, 7 - 7 FT), to go along with four rebounds over 35 minutes. He's been an absolute beast for the Nets over his last three games and has averaged 30 points and 9 rebounds during that span. Deron Williams nearly matched Turner with a triple - double of his own, posting 10 points (2 - 6 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), nine rebounds and 10 assists in 34 minutes. He's now pushed his season averages to 13 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists per game on the year. The only other Net in double figures was Thaddeus Young, who finished with 12 points (5 - 12 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) and nine rebounds. The Celtics' next game will be at home against the Miami Heat on Wednesday, while the Nets will travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets on Wednesday.
["TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 6 Percentage of 3 points ,has 36 Percentage of field goals ,has 40 Losses ,has 91 Total points ,has 29 Points in 2nd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 27 Percentage of 3 points ,has 51 Percentage of field goals ,has 39 Losses ,has 110 Total points ,has 31 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 31 Wins ."]
The Charlotte Hornets (28 - 26) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (22 - 33) 98 - 95 on Friday. All the statistics made this look like a Bucks win, but that simply wasn’t the case. Milwaukee outrebounded the Hornets 47 - 38 and also outassisted them 22 to 13. It was the fourth quarter that made the difference for Charlotte, as they outscored the Bucks 28 - 17 over the final 12 minutes. The benches were not used very much in this contest, as only seven bench players were used between the two teams. Charlotte had won five of six going into the All-Star break and this comeback win is a great catalyst for the rest of the season. Al Jefferson made his long awaited return from a foot injury and played 23 minutes in the win. His replacement, Cody Zeller, obviously played with a chip on his shoulder, as he tallied a career - high 23 points and nine rebounds in the win. Kemba Walker had a nice all - around game, as he accumulated 25 points, six rebounds and four assists in the victory. Up next for the Hornets is a date with the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. Milwaukee has been using a different lineup recently and it's unclear if it's paying any dividends. Jabari Parker had one of his best games of the season though, as he amassed 23 points and 11 rebounds in the loss. Giannis Antetokounmpo finished the game with 18 points, 11 rebounds and four assists of his own. Greg Monroe had a terrible game off the bench, as he scored a measly four points while attempting just two shots and committing four turnovers in the defeat. Milwaukee's next game will be on Saturday when they take on the Atlanta Hawks.
["TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 22 Number of team assists ,has 33 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 17 Points in 4th quarter ,has 22 Turnovers ,has 22 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 13 Number of team assists ,has 26 Losses ,has 98 Total points ,has 28 Points in 4th quarter ,has 28 Turnovers ."]
The visiting New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 112 - 94, at Philips Arena on Tuesday. It did n't take long for this game to get out of hand, as the Pelicans (5 - 10) opened on a 26 - 10 run and ultimately pushed their lead to 20 points by the end of the first quarter, a lead they held onto for the rest of the evening. Tim Frazier helped them hold onto that lead, as the starting point guard finished with 21 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting and 14 assists in 35 minutes. Frazier's performance was necessary too, as Anthony Davis left in the second quarter with a right knee injury after diving into the crowd for a loose ball. Luckily for the Pelicans, the All-Star power forward did return later in the game, ultimately finishing with 13 points and three rebounds in 19 minutes as New Orleans won their third straight game. As for the Hawks (9 - 5), they have now dropped their third game in a row in ugly fashion. The starting backcourt of Dennis Schroeder and Kyle Korver led the way in scoring with 14 points each, while the frontcourt pairing of Paul Millsap and Dwight Howard, who have led the team in scoring so far this season, managed to score just a combined 18 points. The final starter, Kent Bazemore, shot 0 - of - 6 from the field and finished with just one point, one assist and one rebound in 18 minutes. In the end, it was a night to forget for the Hawks, who continue to slide after a hot start to the season. Up next, the Pelicans will look to earn their fourth win in a row against the Timberwolves on Wednesday, while the Hawks will travel to Indiana on Wednesday to take on the Pacers.
["TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 5 Losses ,has 94 Total points ,has 9 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 10 Losses ,has 112 Total points ,has 5 Wins ."]
The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets, 120 - 114, at Staples Center on Wednesday. The Lakers (10) brought in Luke Walton as their new head coach for the 2016 - 2017 season, and the new offense that involved an expected volume shooting from the perimeter, was effective enough to aid Los Angeles to a good start. The Lakers took 35 shots from behind the arc and sank 12 of them, and the 34 percent efficiency was enough to constantly keep Los Angeles within striking distance. The Rockets led for most of the game, but never by a controlling amount. Jordan Clarkson drained a 29 foot three - pointer with 1:47 left in the fourth quarter to take 116 - 112 lead, and followed Nene's banker with a quick two pointer to hold the lead at four points. D'Angelo Russell's sloppy turnover with seconds left gave the Rockets a bit of life, but they were unable to capitalize and the Lakers ran out the clock. James Harden was named point guard, and although his usage percentage was point guard - esque last season, the official designation was backed up by 17 assists. Harden made use of quick passes in transition and threaded the needle time and time again in the first half. The Rockets star player added 34 points and eight rebounds to his strong start to the season. Newly acquired Eric Gordon (19 points on 7 - of - 15 shooting) and Ryan Anderson (14 points on 6 - of - 15 shooting) were effective in the Harden led system. Clint Capela wasted no time taking Dwight Howard's spot under center with 16 points and nine boards in 26 minutes. Both teams hit the road on Friday, as the Rockets visit the Dallas Mavericks, while the Lakers visit the Utah Jazz.
["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 34 Percentage of 3 points ,has 120 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 114 Percentage of 3 points ."]
The Minnesota Timberwolves (14 - 47) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (41 - 20), 121 - 113. Gary Neal sparked the Timberwolves with a season - high 27 points on 11 shots in 21 minutes, including 17 points in the fourth quarter. The Timberwolves’ scored 70 points in the first half, and their bench scored 46 points. Ricky Rubio fell two rebounds shy of a triple - double, supplying 13 points, 15 assists, eight rebounds and a three - point dagger with one minute left in the game. Kevin Martin scored a team - high 29 points, and rookie Andrew Wiggins added 18 points, four rebounds, three steals, two assists, one block, and one three - pointer in 41 minutes. Arron Afflalo started his first game with the Trail Blazers following Wesley Matthews’ season - ending injury. Afflalo contributed 14 points and one assist before fouling out in 32 minutes. Damian Lillard nearly notched a triple - double, compiling 32 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, one steal and four three - pointers in 38 minutes, scoring 11 points in the final 48 seconds. Robin Lopez blocked a game - high three shots, and LaMarcus Aldridge grabbed a team - high eight rebounds in the loss. The Timberwolves begin a four - game road trip Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Trail Blazers have three days off before they host the Houston Rockets.
["TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 47 Losses ,has 121 Total points ,has 14 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 20 Losses ,has 113 Total points ,has 41 Wins ."]
The Utah Jazz (33 - 35) defeated the Phoenix Suns (18 - 50) 103 - 69 on Thursday. A thoroughly dominating performance by Utah was perhaps to be expected, considering that the Jazz came into the contest surrendering the second - lowest amount of points per game (97), while the Suns checked in with the second - highest turnover rate (16) on a nightly basis. Both figures proved to be prophetic Thursday, as the Jazz held Phoenix to a season - low scoring total, and also set a season - best total in points surrendered. The Jazz elicted 21 turnovers from the Suns as well, and held them to 34 percent and 25 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. Utah's domination was even more evident in the second half, when they held the helpless visitors to 31 total points. The Suns were led by Brandon Knight's 17 points, which he suppplemented with eight rebounds, two assists and a block. Alex Len was the only other starter to manage double - digit points, amassing 10 points, 12 rebounds and two assists. Jon Leuer paced the bench with 14 points, eight rebounds and two steals, as the third and final Phoenix player to score in double digits. The Suns remain in fourth place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They head to Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Friday. With such a comfortable second - half lead, it was a reserve, Trey Lyles, who paced the Jazz in scoring with 17 points over 19 minutes. He added two rebounds, one assist and two steals. Shelvin Mack and Joe Ingles co - led the starters with a pair of 15 - point efforts. Mack also supplied 10 assists and eight rebounds, while Ingles, getting the start in Gordon Hayward's (foot) stead, registered four rebounds, two assists and a career - high six steals. Derrick Favors was next with 12 points, five rebounds and two steals. The Jazz remain in third place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division, and are just a game behind the eighth - seeded Dallas Mavericks. They head to Chicago to face the Bulls on Saturday night.
["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 35 Percentage of field goals ,has 103 Losses ,has 16 Total points ,has 33 Points in 2nd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 34 Percentage of field goals ,has 50 Losses ,has 69 Total points ,has 17 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 16 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 21 Turnovers ,has 18 Wins ."]
The Washington Wizards (39 - 41) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (46 - 34) 113 - 98 on Sunday. The Wizards were unsuccessful in their bid to garner a playoff spot, but entered Sunday trying to finish the season off on a positive note. With the postseason out of reach, John Wall sat out a third consecutive game with his knee injury. Ramon Sessions was in the starting five again in Wall's stead, and acquitted himself well once more. He contributed a 15 - point, 11 - assist double - double, and added five rebounds and a steal. The bench was also highly productive, contributing 53 points on the day. The Hornets were led by Frank Kaminsky III in a reserve role, as he pitched in 18 points and 11 rebounds. Kemba Walker led the starting five with 16 points, seven assists, three rebounds, a steal and a block. Marvin Williams pitched in with 14 points, six boards and three assists. Nicolas Batum tallied 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Al Jefferson was efficient on the second unit as well, managing 10 points and seven rebounds. Charlotte remains in third place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and are slotted in the sixth seed as well. They head to Boston to take on the Celtics on Monday night. The Wizards were paced by Marcin Gortat's 21 - point, 13 - rebound double - double, which was supplemented with four assists and a block. Markieff Morris managed 11 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal. Otto Porter, Jr. supplied 10 points and two rebounds. Marcus Thornton led the reserves with 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal. Nene Hilario was next with 12 points, five rebounds and two blocks. Jared Dudley filled out the stat sheet off the bench as well, registering 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists, four steals and two blocks. Washington remains in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They travel to Brooklyn to take on the Nets on Monday night.
["TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 41 Losses ,has 113 Total points ,has 39 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 34 Losses ,has 98 Total points ,has 46 Wins ."]
In a hard - fought game, the San Antonio Spurs (10 - 4) were victorious over the Indiana Pacers (6 - 9) in a 106 - 100 game at the AT & T Center on Wednesday. San Antonio was lead by the extremely consistent and veteran presence of Manu Ginobili. In only 26 minutes, Ginobili scored 28 points (10 - 18 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT), while also contributing four assists and two steals. Future Hall-of-Famer Tim Duncan had a solid 17 - point (7 - 10 FG, 3 - 6 FT) and six rebound performance as well. Kawhi Leonard had his fourth double - double performance of the year, and finished with 21 points (8 - 12 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 6 FT) and 12 rebounds, which included eight points in the fourth quarter. Despite the defeat, the Pacers were still able to be effective on the offensive end. Rodney Stuckey lead the way with 22 points (9 - 20 FG, 4 - 5 FT) and four assists. Off the bench, Chris Copeland was able to contribute an additional 12 points (4 - 10 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 2 FT). Also, with Roy Hibbert sitting out, Ian Mahinmi got the start at center and went 4 - for - 5 from the floor to score eight points in 23 minutes. San Antonio will look to continue their winning ways, as they travel to Sacramento to take on the Kings on Sunday night. Meanwhile, Indiana will travel to Orlando to square off against the Magic.
["TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 4 Losses ,has 106 Total points ,has 10 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 9 Losses ,has 100 Total points ,has 6 Wins ."]
The Atlanta Hawks (3 - 2) defeated the Washington Wizards (2 - 3) 82 - 81 on Wednesday at Philips Arena in Atlanta. After going back and forth all game long, the fourth quarter continued that trend. It started off with an 80 run by the Wizards, which was then followed up by a 140 run by the Hawks to put them up five with two and a half minutes left in the game. With just over 14 seconds left in regulation, Paul Pierce turned the ball over and DeMarre Carroll was able to get a fast break layup. Pierce then made up for the turnover though and hit a three - pointer from the corner to put the Wizards up one with just eight seconds left. The hero was Al Horford though. Horford was able to grab an offensive rebound with just over a second left and drop it back in for the game - winning bucket, giving the Hawks a 3 - 2 lead in the series. The Hawks shot 41 percent from the field and just 23 percent from the three - point line, while they also committed 25 turnovers, but were still able to come out with the victory. A large amount of that credit goes to center Al Horford. Along with his game - winning bucket, Horford finished with 23 points (10 - 18 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), 11 rebounds and five blocked shots over 37 minutes. After struggling in their first round matchup with the Brooklyn Nets, Horford has really made his presence felt here in the semifinals, as he's averaged 18 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks so far this series. That five - game stretch includes four double - doubles. Millsap received some help from both Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague though. Millsap posted 14 points (6 - 14 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), seven rebounds and a blocked shot, while Teague recorded 14 points (6 - 13 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt) and five assists. The two did combine to record a whopping 13 of the team's 25 total turnovers though, so they'll have to clean that up before game six. Kyle Korver shot just 1 - of - 5 from the three - point line to score only three points, but he did notch six steals, marking a new playoff - high. Despite having five non - displaced fractures in his left wrist and hand, John Wall made his return to the lineup and finished with 15 points (7 - 15 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), seven assists and four steals. He also had six turnovers though, so it was n't all good for the guard. Wall did n't seem to show any apprehension with his hand injury, often diving for loose balls and looking to grab a rebound in traffic, so that was good news for the Wizards even though they eventually came out with the loss. Fellow backcourt member Bradley Beal also did as much as he could to lead this team to a win. He went 9 - for - 21 from the field but just 1 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 23 points, while also adding seven rebounds and four assists. Beal has hit at least two three - pointers in seven out of eight games this postseason, but he could n't get into a rhythm Wednesday. So far this series, Beal is averaging 24 points over five games. Marcin Gortat chipped in with 14 points (7 - 10 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt) and eight rebounds as well. Game six will be played on Friday in Washington.
["TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 23 Percentage of 3 points ,has 41 Percentage of field goals ,has 2 Losses ,has 82 Total points ,has 3 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 3 Percentage of 3 points ,has 81 Percentage of field goals ,has 2 Losses ."]
The host Los Angeles Clippers took down the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, 133 - 124. LA (45 - 31) held a comfortable lead for the majority of the second half thanks to strong offensive play. Four Clippers scored at least 23 points each, with shooting guard J.J. Redick posting a team - high 31 points. LA's "big three" of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan, meanwhile, all posted impressive stat lines. Paul had 27 points to go along with 13 assists, while Jordan had 23 points and a whopping 18 rebounds. Griffin narrowly missed a triple - double, finishing with 26 points, nine assists, and 10 rebounds. As a team, the Clippers saw over 56 percent shooting and knocked down 12 three - pointers. The Wizards (46 - 29) remain in third place in the East thanks to a Toronto loss earlier in the night. The Wiz were unable to replicate their astounding comeback from Tuesday night, in which they overcame a double - digit fourth - quarter deficit against the Lakers. Despite the loss, superstar point guard John Wall led the team with an impressive 41 points while also notching seven rebounds and eight assists. It was a good night for Washington on offense as well, as they shot over 49 percent from the field while draining 13 three - pointers. However, they could not defend the astounding offensive output that LA put forward. The Clippers will visit Phoenix on Thursday, while the Wizards will see Utah on Friday.
["TeamStat(G,'Clippers') has 31 Losses ,has 133 Total points ,has 23 Points in 4th quarter ,has 45 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 29 Losses ,has 124 Total points ,has 46 Points in 4th quarter ."]
The Toronto Raptors (15 - 4) went into Utah and took down the Jazz (5 - 14) 123 - 104 on Wednesday night at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City. The Raptors got the job done, even without the injured DeMar DeRozan. Led by another impressive performance from point guard Kyle Lowry, Toronto continued their incredibly impressive year. Lowry scored 39 points (13 - 22 FG, 4 - 5 3Pt, 9 - 9 FT) to go with five rebounds, four assists and one steal in 38 minutes. He had a monster game, but Lowry had a bit of help as well. In total, six players scored in double figures for the Raptors, including four starters, while Jonas Valanciunas had nine points. Toronto showed how well - rounded they are in this win, and that they're a team to be feared. The Jazz have taken some tough losses to this point, but they were just outplayed in the first half and could n't manage to get back into it during the second half. They did see six players score in double figures, with Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors leading the way. Both Kanter and Favors had 19 points, and combined, they brought in 15 rebounds. The offense was spread out nicely, but after falling behind 69 - 53 at halftime, it was too much to overcome. The Jazz will look to bounce back at home against the Orlando Magic on Friday night.
["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 14 Losses ,has 104 Total points ,has 5 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 4 Losses ,has 123 Total points ,has 15 Wins ."]
Paul George went 13 - of - 27 from the field, including 5 - of - 10 from long range on his way to a season - high 37 points, including 15 points in a row during an impressive fourth quarter comeback by the Pacers. Thaddeus young tied his season - high, with 24 points, and added nine rebounds, three blocks, two assists and two steals, in 40 minutes. Young shot a brilliant 9 - of - 13 from the field and 6 - of - 8 from long range. Myles Turner was solid with 14 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, in 33 minutes. The Pacers shot 52 percent from long range and 23 - of - 28 from the free throw line. Meanwhile, C.J. McCollum paced the Blazers with 34 points, on 12 - of - 22 shooting, including a blistering 7 - of - 11 from distance, in 37 minutes. Damian Lillard added 33 points on 10 - of - 24 shooting, along with nine assists, in likewise 37 minutes. No other player scored in double figures for the Portland but Ed Davis was solid as he grabbed 10 rebounds to go along with six points, two assists, two steals and a block, in 34 minutes.
["TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 52 Percentage of 3 points ."]
The San Antonio Spurs (64 - 12) set a franchise record for wins in a season on Saturday, beating the Toronto Raptors (51 - 25) 102 - 95. With the win, San Antonio remains undefeated at home, needing just two more wins to become the first team in NBA history without a homecourt loss. Emerging star Kawhi Leonard hit a new career high on Saturday, scoring 33 points to lead the team. Leonard complemented the scoring outburst with a career - high seven assists and an impressive three steals on the defensive end. Equally impressive was teammate LaMarcus Aldridge, who dropped in 31 points and pulled down 15 rebounds as well. With the win, San Antonio's home win streak extends to 48, the longest active streak and the second - longest of all time behind the recently - ended mark of 54 games from the Golden State Warriors. Toronto only narrowly missed the chance to keep the Spurs from making history despite sitting All-Stars Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. With the duo resting, rookie Norman Powell slid into the starting five and delivered an impressive 17 points. The team as a whole shot a whopping 50 percent of the field, making it look easy against the stingy San Antonio D. Toronto, too, has eclipsed a franchise - best win total, and is still in contention for the first seed in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors will host the Hornets on Tuesday, while San Antonio will visit the Jazz in Utah.
["TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 12 Percentage of field goals ,has 102 Losses ,has 64 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 50 Percentage of field goals ,has 25 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 51 Wins ."]
The New York Knicks (23 - 26) defeated the visiting Phoenix Suns (14 - 34) 102 - 84, on Friday night at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks led just about the whole way as they snapped their four - game losing streak with a decisive home win. The return of Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis sure was a big boost to the reeling Knicks squad. Melo had missed two games with a sore knee, while Porzingis was out last game with an illness. This was the Suns' third straight loss and their ninth loss in 10 games. The Suns have now dropped their last 15 on the road and are 4 - 21 on the road this season. Melo was two assists shy of a triple - double in his return. He finished with 19 points (5 - 14 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), 10 rebounds and eight assists, along with four steals, in 30 minutes. Arron Afflalo tallied 17 points (6 - 13 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) and three assists, in 29 minutes. Langston Galloway started in place of Jose Calderon who remains out with a sore groin. Galloway did a nice job with 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals, in 27 minutes. As a team the Knicks only gave up nine turnovers and capitalized on 23 of 26 free throws. Devin Booker has had the chance to shine lately due to some injuries on the Phoenix roster and was at it again as he finished with a game - high 21 points (8 - 15 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), along with three assists, in 26 minutes. T.J. Warren was in action despite a sore ankle. Warren finished with 12 points and two rebounds, in 19 minutes off the bench. Jordan McRae chipped in 12 points and four assists off the bench. Brandon Knight missed his sixth straight game with a sore groin. The Suns struggled shooting, hitting 41 percent from the field. They went 0 - 7 from deep in the first quarter and finished the game 7 - 26 from beyond the arc. Next the Knicks will host the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. The Suns will look to snap their unflattering streak but will be against the odds as they visit Dallas on Sunday.
["TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 26 Percentage of field goals ,has 102 Losses ,has 23 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 41 Percentage of field goals ,has 34 Losses ,has 84 Total points ,has 21 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 14 Wins ."]
The Oklahoma City Thunder (48 - 22) narrowly edged out the host Indiana Pacers (36 - 33) on Saturday 115 - 111 behind point guard Russell Westbrook's league - leading 14th triple - double. Westbrook has now set the highest mark for triple - doubles in a season since Magic Johnson's 17 in 1988 - 89. Despite contributing just 14 points, well below his season average, Westrbook dished out 14 assists and pulled down 11 rebounds. He leads all guards in rebounding on the season with an average of 8 per game. The triple - double was n't the only story for OKC, a team that has finally gotten its mojo back following a rocky star after the All-Star break. Former MVP Kevin Durant lit up the Indiana defense for 33 points, while still pulling a game - high 13 rebounds and dishing out eight assists. Sixth man Enes Kanter also made his presence knowing, going for 15 points and 10 rebounds in just 24 minutes of play. The Thunder recently became the NBA's third team to clinch playoff berth, and will now fight to maintain the third seed in the West over the powerhouse Los Angeles Clippers. With four wins in a row under their belt, the Thunder will look to keep up solid play as the NBA season winds down. Indiana, meanwhile, is jockying for position at the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The Pacers currently hold the seventh spot in the East. Superstar Paul George was the story for Indiana, as he delivered a whopping 45 points on a team - high 29 shot attempts from the field. Indiana's offense was heavily reliant on George, as the All-Star forward shouldered the heavy load for the struggling team. Point guard George Hill also had a noteworthy 20 points and nine assists. OKC will host the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, while Indiana will take on the hapless Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.
["TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 33 Losses ,has 111 Total points ,has 33 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 36 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 22 Losses ,has 115 Total points ,has 48 Points in 3rd quarter ."]
The Dallas Mavericks (26 - 21) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (9 - 38) 92 - 90 at Staples Center on Tuesday. The Mavericks have owned the Lakers over the past three seasons and Tuesday marked the 10th straight loss for Los Angeles against the Dirk Nowitzki-led Mavs. With 1:36 left in regulation, Jordan Clarkson hit a floating jump shot to tie the game at 90, and it took another 1:34 before Dirk Nowitzki drained a vintage baseline jumper with :2 remaining to take a two point lead. On the ensuing possession, Julius Randle received an inbound pass at the top of the three - point line and his shot went off the side of the rim as time expired. The Lakers are now owners of a seven game losing streak. Nowitzki was far from efficient, but has not lost his clutch factor, proven by his fadeaway game winner. The Mavericks leader finished with 13 points and six rebounds on 5 - of - 14 shooting in 30 minutes. J.J. Barea led all Mavericks in scoring with 18 points off the bench, to go along with four rebounds and four assists. Chandler Parsons got off to a hot start, but cooled down in the second half, but scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds 35 minutes. The Lakers were without Kobe Bryant (shoulder), but competed with Dallas for the entirety of the game. Julius Randle is starting to show signs of improvement and has strung together five good games entering the contest (9 points and 10 rebounds), and added his 16th double - double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Jordan Clarkson rounded out the box score with 18 points, six rebounds and seven assists, while rookie D’Angelo Russell finished with 12 points and zero assists. The Lakers will look to end their seven game skid when they host the Chicago Bulls (25 - 19) on Thursday, while the Mavericks play the second game of a back - to - back when they visit the Golden State Warriors (41 - 4) on Wednesday.
["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 38 Losses ,has 90 Total points ,has 9 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 21 Losses ,has 92 Total points ,has 26 Wins ."]
The Utah Jazz (12 - 14) defeated the Phoenix Suns (12 - 18) Monday 107 - 81 at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City. The Jazz maintained control of the game from the very start, opening up a 12 - point lead at the end of the first quarter and never looking back. They were led by Gordon Hayward’s game - high 24 points, and the small forward has now recorded at least 20 points in three straight games. Derrick Favors was also effective, recording 18 points and nine rebounds in 33 minutes. Rodney Hood scored 14 points in 35 minutes, while Alex Burks (13) and Trey Burke (11) each reached double figures off the bench. It was a disastrous night from the Suns’ starters, as the unit combined to score just 30 points, with Eric Bledsoe scoring just eight points on 2 - of - 10 shooting in 26 minutes. The only reason the team put up a somewhat respectable point total was Brandon Knight’s effort in his new role off the bench, as he scored a game - high 26 points in 35 minutes as a reserve. Mirza Teletovic scored 17 points in 21 minutes off the bench and was the only other Phoenix player to score in double figures. Overall, it was simply too inefficient of a night for the Suns, as they shot under 40 percent from the field and recorded just 12 assists to 13 turnovers. Up next, the Jazz will travel to Oakland Wednesday to take on the Warriors, while the Suns will head home Wednesday to play the Nuggets.
["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 14 Number of team assists ,has 12 Losses ." "TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 12 Number of team assists ,has 18 Losses ,has 13 Turnovers ,has 12 Wins ."]
The Golden State Warriors (22 - 3) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (12 - 14) 114 - 109 on Thursday. Golden State had their 16 - game win streak end in Tuesday's 105 - 98 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, but they quickly got back in the win column. Stephen Curry scored a game - high 34 points and also had nine assists and four steals in 42 minutes. The Warriors shot 51 percent from the field and recorded 32 assists, compared to the Thunder's 17 assists. Golden state has the weekend off before they host the Sacramento Kings on Monday. Oklahoma City had their seven - game win streak snapped, and they lost Kevin Durant to a sprained ankle after the MVP rolled his ankle coming down on Maurice Speights' foot. Durant underwent X-rays that came back negative, and the sprain was graded as being mild, but he was held out of the second half as a precaution. Even in just 19 minutes of action Thursday, Durant scored 30 points on 10 - of - 13 shooting from the field. Russell Westbrook finished with a team - high 33 points and eight assists in 40 minutes. It's possible the Thunder could continue to take the cautious route Friday and hold Durant out of their game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
["TeamStat(G,'Warriors') has 32 Number of team assists ,has 51 Percentage of field goals ,has 3 Losses ,has 114 Total points ,has 22 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 17 Number of team assists ,has 14 Percentage of field goals ,has 109 Losses ,has 12 Total points ."]
The Wizards (5 - 2) rebounds from a loss to Toronto on Friday, knocking off the Pacers (1 - 6) for the second time in four nights. Washington, which won in Indianapolis on Wednesday night, jumped out to a big first quarter lead en route to the 97 - 90 victory. The Wizards led 32 - 14 after one and held a 19 - point lead at the half. The Pacers would come storming back, however, trimming the lead to single digits by the end of the third. Washington led by just five with 21 seconds to play, but Paul Pierce was able to knock down four straight free throws to salt the game away. John Wall led the way for Washington, scoring a team - high 18 points to go with four assists and four steals. Nene added 17 points, while Kevin Seraphin chipped in 13 off the bench. It was a rough night for Pierce, who connected on only 2 - of - 13 field goals (8 - 10 FT). As a team, Washington went 2 - of - 11 from beyond the arc, compared to Indiana’s 8 - of - 24. The Pacers, losers of six straight since topping Philadelphia on opening night, got 28 points from second - year swingman Solomon Hill. The Arizona product made 10 - of - 19 field goals and added six rebounds in 43 minutes. Donald Sloan, who scored 31 points in Wednesday’s meeting, was limited to 13 points and four rebounds. Chris Copeland struggled to find his shooting stroke, converting only 1 - of - 10 attempts from three - point range. Looking ahead, the Wizards are off until Wednesday, when they host the Pistons. Indiana faces the Jazz at home Monday before traveling to Miami to take on the Heat on Wednesday.
["TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 6 Losses ,has 90 Total points ,has 14 Points in 1st quarter ,has 1 Points in 3rd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 2 Losses ,has 97 Total points ,has 32 Points in 1st quarter ,has 19 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 5 Wins ."]
The Toronto Raptors (31 - 15) picked up a win over their division rival New York Knicks (22 - 26) Thursday night at Air Canada Centre, 103 - 93. The Raptors led for the entirety of the final three quarters as the Knicks were playing shorthanded without Kristaps Porzingis (illness) and Carmelo Anthony (knee) in uniform. The lack of depth showed, as every member of the Knicks bench was forced to play at least nine minutes, with Derrick Williams, Sasha Vujacic and Jerami Grant all forced on the court for at least 24 minutes. Raptors guards DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry took advantage of the Knicks' thin lineup, as they tied for the game high with 26 points apiece. Lowry was the real engine for the Raptors offense, as he also dished out 10 assists and grabbed six rebounds (three offensive). Jonas Valancunius scored 11 points on a poor shooting night (4 - 16) but was a beast on the glass, as he grabbed 18 rebounds (eight offensive). Arron Afflalo led the Knicks with 20 points on 7 - 17 shooting, as he sunk all three three - pointers he attempted. Langston Galloway was the only other starter to go over double - digits. Reserves Grant and Vujacic scored 13 points apiece, and Grant filled up the box score with six assists, four rebounds, and two steals. Despite being undermanned, the Knicks would have had a chance had they hit their free throws - - they finished 10 - 20 at the free throw line in a 10 - point loss. The Knicks will return home for a matchup Friday against the Suns. The Raptors continue their homestand Saturday against Detroit.
["TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 15 Losses ,has 103 Total points ,has 26 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 31 Points in 3rd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 26 Losses ,has 93 Total points ,has 22 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 20 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 22 Wins ."]
The Miami Heat (13 - 15) defeated the Boston Celtics (10 - 15) 100 - 84 on Sunday at the American Airlines Arena in Miami Florida. The Heat did most of their damage in the first half, out - scoring the Celitcs 52 - 42. They were able to finish the game shooting 47 percent from the field and 29 percent from the three - point line, while the Celtics shot 40 percent from the floor and 26 percent from beyond the arc. The Heat were able to force the Celitcs into 15 turnovers, giving them an even greater advantage to take home the victory. The Heat had six players reach double figures in points in this one. Luol Deng led all scorers with 23 points, after shooting 9 - for - 15 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line. He also went a perfect 4 - of - 4 from the free throw line. With Dwyane Wade sitting out, Mario Chalmers got pushed into the starting lineup, where he took advantage of the extra playing time and recorded his fourth double - double of the season with 11 points (5 - 13 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 1 - 4 FT) and 10 assists. Although it was n't his best day shooting from the floor, he still made up for it with the opportunities he gave to his teammates. Norris Cole also benefitted from some extra playing time and scored 15 points in 37 minutes. The fifteen points were the most he's had since scoring 23 points in the season opener and the minutes played was near a season - high. James Ennis also provided a big boost off the bench with 16 points (4 - 8 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and eight rebounds. It was a season - high in points for him as he has only reached double figures in points once before. The Celtics struggled to find any consistent offense in their young lineup. Tyler Zeller did most of the damage for them as he went 10 - for - 15 from the floor and 2 - for - 3 from the free throw line to score 22 points, while also grabbing eight rebounds. It was only the second time Zeller has broken the 20 - point mark this season. Both Jeff Green and Kelly Olynyk chipped in 13 points of there own, but without much contribution from the bench, the Celtics came up a quite a bit short. The Heat's next game will be at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, while the Celitcs will travel to Orlando to play the magic on Tuesday.
["TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 29 Percentage of 3 points ,has 47 Percentage of field goals ,has 15 Losses ,has 100 Total points ,has 13 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 26 Percentage of 3 points ,has 40 Percentage of field goals ,has 15 Losses ,has 84 Total points ,has 15 Turnovers ,has 10 Wins ."]
The Memphis Grizzlies (13 - 2) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (3 - 12) 99 - 93 on Wednesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Despite being down 51 - 46 at halftime, the Grizzlies were able to out - score the Lakers 34 - 23 in the third quarter, giving them enough of an edge to get the victory on the road in Los Angeles. The Grizzlies also out - shot the Lakers 45 percent to 41 percent from the field, which also may have given them just enough of an advantage to take the win. The Grizzlies' big three did most of the damage in this game. Mike Conley went 6 - for - 11 from the field and 1 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 19 points and hand out seven assists. It was a much needed bounce - back game for Conley, who had only seven points on Sunday. Marc Gasol also contributed 19 points of his own, while recording 11 rebounds. It was his second straight double - double and fourth on the year. Zach Randolph came one rebound short of a double - double and finished with 16 points (7 - 10 FG, 2 - 4 FT) and nine rebounds. He's now averaging 16 points and 12 rebounds on the year. In the loss, Kobe Bryant led all scorers for the Lakers. He went 5 - for - 15 from the field and 2 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 22 points. He also got to the line 10 times, and converted on a perfect 10 - of - 10. Jeremy Lin was the other starter in the backcourt and managed to finish with 14 points, five assists and two steals. Nick Young continued to come off the bench since returning from injury. He shot 4 - for - 14 from the floor and 2 - for - 5 from beyond the arc to score 13 points in 27 minutes. Ronnie Price and Jordan Hill were the only other two Lakers to reach double figures in points, as each finished with 11. The Grizzlies' next game will be on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, while the Lakers will be at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.
["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 41 Percentage of field goals ,has 12 Losses ,has 93 Total points ,has 23 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 11 Turnovers ,has 3 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 45 Percentage of field goals ,has 2 Losses ,has 99 Total points ,has 34 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 13 Turnovers ."]
The Miami Heat (40 - 29) handily defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (49 - 20) 122 - 101 on Saturday. The Heat ambushed their unsuspecting visitors right from the jump, and kept the foot on the gas the rest of the way. Miami won the first quarter by a margin of 31 - 19, and had built up a 65 - 44 lead by halftime. They tallied one of their best point totals of the season through superior shooting, as they managed a 55 success rate from the field, and an even more impressive 58 percent figure from beyond the arc. Dwyane Wade stepped up to lead the starters, and Josh Richardson and Hassan Whiteside were outstanding contributors off the bench. LeBron James did manage an impressive effort at the scene of some of his greatest career accomplishments, posting 26 points, three points, three assists and a steal. Kyrie Irving contributed 14 points, four assists and three steals. Richard Jefferson paced the bench with 20 points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal. Matthew Delladedova also managed double - digit scoring off the bench, supplying 10 points, three assists and a rebound. Despite the loss, Cleveland remains atop the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and the conference as well, albeit by a slim 2 games ahead of the Toronto Raptors. They head back home to face off against the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. Wade totaled 24 points, four rebounds, four assists and a steal. Goran Dragic and Joe Johnson were next with a pair of 18 - point efforts. Dragic also dished out 11 assists, hauled in four rebounds and recorded a steal, while Johnson posted three boards, two assists and two steals. Richardson led the bench with 19 points, two rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. Whiteside managed a 16 - point, 13 - rebound double - double, which also included two assists and two blocks. Miami is currently in second place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and is presently slotted in the fourth seed as well. They travel to New Orleans to face the Pelicans on Tuesday.
["TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 58 Percentage of 3 points ,has 55 Percentage of field goals ,has 29 Losses ,has 122 Total points ,has 31 Points in 1st quarter ,has 40 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 20 Percentage of 3 points ,has 101 Percentage of field goals ,has 19 Losses ,has 49 Total points ."]
The host Toronto Raptors edged out the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, 112 - 106. Toronto (35 - 24) has now won three straight after a complete collapse during the month of January. The Raps are tied with Washington for third in the East and trail Boston by three games for the second seed. Despite missing star point guard Kyle Lowry, Toronto was able to hold on for the win on Sunday. This was largely due to the play of All-Star DeMar DeRozan, who led the team with 33 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting and a stellar 15 - of - 16 from the free - throw line. The Raptors offense as a whole functioned at a very high level throughout the game. The team shot almost 54 percent from the field and saw an additional 18 points come from newly - added big man Serge Ibaka. Ibaka also had 10 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. Portland (24 - 34) is quickly losing ground in the tight Western Conference playoff race. Sunday did the team no favors, as they were defeated quite narrowly by the Lowry-less Raptors. Damian Lillard led the team with 28 points and shot an efficient 10 - of - 20. He added eight assists. The team was relatively quiet on the inside, due in part to center Jusuf Nurkic being limited to just 21 minutes of play. Nurkic, a relatively new Trail Blazer who was acquired in a trade with deadline, had two teeth knocked out during a collision in the game. It did not keep him out of commission for too long, however, as the young big man simply handed the teeth to a trainer and readied himself to play again. The Blazers will visit Detroit on Tuesday while Toronto will see New York.
["TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 24 Losses ,has 112 Total points ,has 35 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 34 Losses ,has 106 Total points ,has 24 Wins ."]
The Miami Heat (37 - 26) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (8 - 55) 103 - 98 on Sunday. For the second time in three nights, Miami dealt with a short - handed Sixers squad that nevertheless hung with them for four quarters. Philadelphia was once again without its starting frontcourt of Nerlens Noel (knee) and Jahlil Okafor (shin), but received strong performances from their replacements, Carl Landry and Jerami Grant. Miami was able to pull away in the last three minutes of the final period with some outstanding defensive work on the part of Hassan Whiteside, who tallied a whopping seven blocks. The Heat equaled their 2014 - 15 win total with the victory, while Philadelphia still has only a pair of triumphs over Eastern Conference rivals this season. The Sixers were led by Ish Smith, who collected 21 points, five assists, four rebounds and a steal over 38 minutes. It was a second consecutive impressive outing for the Philadelphia point guard against one of the toughest units in the league versus the position. Landry was able to avoid the foul trouble that plagued him in the game against the Heat on Friday night, and finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and a steal. Hollis Thompson tallied 16 points and four rebounds in another start at shooting guard. Grant amassed a near double - double, registering nine points, eight boards, two assists and two blocks. Isaiah Canaan paced the reserves with 17 points, four assists and three rebounds, although he did pick up five fouls. Philadelphia continues in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head back home to face off against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night. Miami was led by a pair of 23 - point efforts from their backcourt duo of Goran Dragic and Dwyane Wade. The former supplemented his scoring with eight rebounds and five assists, while the latter also supplied three rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals. Joe Johnson registered 14 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal, while Luol Deng rounded out a productive night for the starting five with a 12 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included four assists, two steals and a block. Whiteside was outstanding once again in pacing the Heat reserves, posting 14 points, 13 rebounds, an assist and the aforementioned seven rejections. The Heat remains in first place in the Eastern Conference's Southeastern Division, and currently have possession of the fourth seed in the conference as well. They head to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks on Wednesday night.
["TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 26 Losses ,has 103 Total points ,has 37 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 55 Losses ,has 98 Total points ,has 8 Wins ."]
The Atlanta Hawks (3 - 3) went to New York and beat the Knicks (2 - 6) 91 - 85 on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. The Hawks got a strong road win to even up their record at 3 - 3 on the year, and they have a well - rounded offensive performance to thank for it. Every player who touched the floor for the Hawks ended up scoring, and they were led by 19 points (6 - 14 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) in 34 minutes from Paul Millsap. Kyle Korver also had a strong night, scoring 17 points (4 - 13 FG, 3 - 9 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), with eight rebounds and two assists in 33 minutes. The Hawks now head back home to take on the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. The Knicks just could n't get it going offensively, and have now lost five straight games, including back to back losses to the Hawks. New York was led by none other than All-Star Carmelo Anthony, who had 25 points (11 - 25 FG, 0 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 5 FT) with nine rebounds and seven assists in 42 minutes. Iman Shumpert also did a little of everything, scoring 18 points (8 - 12 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt), with five assists and three rebounds in 30 minutes. The Knicks now try to end their losing streak against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night at home.
["TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 6 Losses ,has 85 Total points ,has 2 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 3 Losses ,has 91 Total points ,has 3 Wins ."]
The Warriors rout of the Magic looked similar to the Warriors of 2015 - 2016 where they put on a three - point shooting display and finished their jumpers inside the arc at a remarkable rate. Golden State shot 58 percent from the floor, which was no match for the Magic's 37 percent effort as a unit. Klay Thompson dumped in 27 points by halftime, and went on to finish with 29 points, five assists and four rebounds on 12 - of - 20 shooting, including five three pointers. Stephen Curry added 25 points, nine assists, one board and three steals, while Draymond Green rounded out the box score with nine points, 11 rebounds and six assists across 25 minutes. Orlando played with many rotations once the rout was on and had 10 players see at least 17 minutes of action. Elfrid Payton led all Magic scorers with 13 points, while Evan Fournier's 12 points and Nikola Vucevic's 10 points were no match for the starters of the Warriors. Jeff Green was the strongest bench player, and added 13 points and four rebounds on 6 - of - 9 shooting across 18 minutes.
["TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 37 Percentage of field goals ."]
The Boston Celtics (25 - 21) defeated the host Washington Wizards (20 - 22) 116 - 91 at Verizon Center on Monday. This was the second game in as many nights for the Celtics but they showed no signs of fatigue. Contrarily, the Wizards came into this game after a four - day break. The extra long time between games was a result of their last game being cancelled due to inclement weather. Boston played a great team game, with six players scoring in double digits. Three of those players came from the bench and contributed to a total 60 bench points. Isaiah Thomas led the Celtics in scoring with a game - high 23 points (8 - 14 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), along with nine assists and four rebounds, in 28 minutes. Evan Turner came up big off the bench. Turner tallied 18 points (7 - 11 FG, 4 - 5 FT), five rebounds and three assists. Marcus Smart was also strong off the bench, as he finished with 13 points (5 - 11 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), six rebounds, five assists and two steals, in 32 minutes. Boston has now extended its win streak to three games and its record versus the Wizards this season to 40. Despite getting Drew Gooden and Otto Porter back in the lineup, the Wizards were not able to keep up with the Celtics in this one. They gave up 20 turnovers and only shot 42 percent from the field as a team. Porter started in place of Jared Dudley and finished with a solid 15 points (6 - 11 FG), six rebounds and two assists, in 29 minutes. Jared Dudley pitched in 15 points (5 - 7 FG), in 31 minutes off the bench. Marcin Gortat finished with a double - double including 10 points (3 - 5 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and 11 rebounds, in 29 minutes. Bradley Beal left the game early in the first half after being hit in the face and suffering a bleeding nose. The Wizards head straight to Toronto, where they will play their second game in two nights. The Raptors have been hot lately and pose another Atlantic Division threat to Washington. The Celtics have a day off before they host the Nuggets on Wednesday.
["TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 22 Losses ,has 91 Total points ,has 20 Points in 1st quarter ,has 20 Turnovers ,has 20 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 21 Losses ,has 116 Total points ,has 22 Points in 1st quarter ,has 25 Turnovers ."]