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The Celtics saw great team play in their Christmas Day win, and it translated to the box score. Boston had 25 assists to just 11 for New York, and the team committed just six turnovers on the night. All-Star Isaiah Thomas once again led Boston with 27 points, while star center Al Horford scored 15 points and stuffed the stat sheet with seven rebounds, five assists, three steals, and two blocks. Third-year point guard Marcus Smart impressed off the bench, dishing seven assists and scoring 15 points including the game - winning three - pointer. New York, meanwhile, saw solid play from its stars. Sophomore big man Kristaps Porzingis had 22 points and 12 rebounds as well as four blocks. All-Star Carmelo Anthony had 29 points, 22 of which came in the second half. Point guard Derrick Rose also had 25 points in one of his highest - scoring outings of the season.

["TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 11 Number of team assists ." "TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 25 Number of team assists ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Al Horford') has 5 Assists, has 15 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Isaiah Thomas') has 27 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcus Smart') has 7 Assists, has 15 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Carmelo Anthony') has 1 Blocks, has 29 Points, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kristaps Porzingis') has 22 Points, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Derrick Rose') has 25 Points"]

The Phoenix Suns (39 - 38) escaped with an 87 - 85 win over the Utah Jazz (34 - 42). Rodney Hood missed the game - winning three - pointer at the buzzer. He was potentially fouled, but the official ruled otherwise. The Suns moved to three and a half games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for the final playoff spot with five games remaining. Gerald Green scored 24 points in just 22 minutes for the first time since November 26th. After three straight double - figure scoring games, rookie T.J. Warren was limited to four points with Green putting on a show. Brandan Wright continues to start for the injured Alex Len, supplying 14 points, three rebounds, four blocks, three steals and one assist in 33 minutes. Trey Burke was dealing with back issues and didn’t play. Dante Exum was joined in the starting lineup by fellow rookie Rodney Hood, who was cleared of concussion symptoms after missing the previous game. Hood replaced Joe Ingles in the starting lineup and scored 17 points. He entered the game shooting 47 percent from the field since the All-Star break. Gordon Hayward scored 21 points on 18 shots and Rudy Gobert, potential Defensive Player of the Year, provided eight points, 15 rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 38 minutes. The Suns engage in a four - game road trip Tuesday beginning against the Atlanta Hawks. The Jazz conclude a two - game, two - day road trip when they play the Sacramento Kings on Sunday before hosting them three days later.

["TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 38 Losses ,has 87 Total points ,has 39 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 42 Losses ,has 85 Total points ,has 34 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Gordon Hayward') has 18 Field goals attempted, has 21 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rudy Gobert') has 2 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 38 Minutes played, has 8 Points, has 15 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rodney Hood') has 17 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Brandan Wright') has 1 Assists, has 4 Blocks, has 33 Minutes played, has 14 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'TJ Warren') has 4 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Gerald Green') has 3 3-pointers made, has 22 Minutes played, has 24 Points"]

The host Portland Trail Blazers defeated the rivial Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, 122 - 113. It was a big night for two Blazers in particular, as center Jusuf Nurkic and guard C.J. McCollum combined for 72 points for Portland (36 - 38). Nurkic contributed a career - high scoring output of 33 points to go along with a whopping 16 rebounds and three blocks. The output came against his former team, from whom he was traded at the deadline. Nurkic was absolutely deadly from the field, shooting 12 - of - 15 from the field and 9 - of - 11 at the free - throw line. McCollum, meanwhile, shot 15 - of - 24 for a game - high 39 points. The two were the centers of a red - hot Blazers offense, as the team shot over 49 percent from the field and reached the line 33 times on the night. Denver (35 - 39), meanwhile, saw slightly more balanced production from their scorers. Six Nuggets scored in double figures, and their own young big man nearly recorded a triple - double. Sophomore center Nikola Jokic cleaned up, recording 17 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. However, the team simply could not slow down the two hot scorers for Portland. Foul trouble proved problematic as well, as the Nuggets got to the line 20 times but gave up 33 free - throws to Portland. The game was hugely impactful on the playoff standings, as Portland was able to pass Denver for eighth in the conference thanks to the win. Portland will host Houston on Wednesday, while Denver will visit Charlotte on Thursday.

["TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 38 Losses ,has 122 Total points ,has 36 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 39 Losses ,has 113 Total points ,has 35 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Jokic') has 8 Assists, has 17 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jusuf Nurkic') has 2 Assists, has 2 Blocks, has 15 Field goals attempted, has 12 Field goals made, has 11 Free throws attempted, has 9 Free throws made, has 33 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'CJ McCollum') has 24 Field goals attempted, has 15 Field goals made, has 39 Points"]

The Los Angeles Clippers (3 - 1) defeated the Utah Jazz (1 - 3) 107 - 101 on Monday. Chris Paul recorded the NBA's first triple - double of the 2014 - 15 season, putting up 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists in 36 minutes. He also threw in two steals and a blocked shot for good measure. Teammate Blake Griffin helped Paul convert some of those assists, shooting 14 - of - 21 from the field and finishing with 31 points in 38 minutes. J.J. Redick started at shooting guard but played a season - low 16 minutes as coach Doc Rivers opted to go with Jamal Crawford most of the night. Crawford missed the Clippers' last game with a rib injury but returned to put up 19 points off the bench in 34 minutes. Gordon Hayward put up a LeBron James-esque line of 27 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in 36 minutes. He was aided in keeping the game close by starting power forward Enes Kanter who put up 17 points and nine rebounds in 27 minutes. The Jazz were relatively efficient with their shooting, but they committed 17 turnovers in contrast to the Clippers' 10, giving away the game in some respects. The Clippers' next game is against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, while the Jazz will return home to face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Clippers') has 1 Losses ,has 107 Total points ,has 10 Turnovers ,has 3 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 3 Losses ,has 101 Total points ,has 17 Turnovers ,has 1 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Gordon Hayward') has 5 Assists, has 36 Minutes played, has 27 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Enes Kanter') has 27 Minutes played, has 17 Points, has 9 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Blake Griffin') has 21 Field goals attempted, has 14 Field goals made, has 38 Minutes played, has 31 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Chris Paul') has 12 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 36 Minutes played, has 13 Points, has 10 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jamal Crawford') has 34 Minutes played, has 19 Points"]

Wire-to-wire wins are uncommon in the NBA, but blowouts like this are extremely rare. Chicago dominated from the opening whistle, as they held a double - digit lead for the final 40 - plus minutes. The first half is when it got ugly, as the Bulls shot 73 percent from the field and took a 35 - point lead into the locker room. The rebounding and assisting numbers were lopsided as well, with Chicago winning the rebounding battle, 46 - 32 and the assists, 34 - 19. All the starters on Detroit struggled, as none of the surpassed 10 points, four rebounds or three assists. Jon Leuer led the team in scoring off the bench, as he dropped 16 points on 7 - of - 9 shooting. Jimmy Butler led the Bulls in scoring, as he tallied 19 points, three rebounds and six assists in the win. Rajon Rondo flirted with a triple - double, as he accumulated 10 points, eight rebounds and 14 assists.

["TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 34 Number of team assists ,has 35 Points in 1st quarter ,has 46 Rebounds ." "TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 19 Number of team assists ,has 32 Points in 1st quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Jon Leuer') has 9 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 16 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jimmy Butler') has 6 Assists, has 19 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rajon Rondo') has 14 Assists, has 10 Points, has 8 Total rebounds"]

The Houston Rockets (3 - 3) stunned the Los Angeles Clippers (3 - 3) Thursday in Game 6 at the Staples Center, winning 119 - 107 to force Game 7. The Clippers took a commanding 19 - point lead late in the third quarter and appeared to be on their way to clinching the first Western Conference Finals berth in franchise history. The Rockets, using a lineup without James Harden, embarked on a massive comeback in the fourth quarter. Corey Brewer and Josh Smith provided the offense down the stretch for Houston and, more importantly, the Rockets clamped down on defense. The Clippers' offense stagnated and could n't create the shots they were finding with ease through the first 36 minutes. Josh Smith, who was 2 - of - 12 from three point range in the series coming into Game 6, canned 4 out of 7 threes Thursday and finished with 19 points. The series will move back to Houston for the decisive Game 7 on Sunday. Time appeared to be winding down on Houston's season in the third quarter with Los Angeles' Blake Griffin making 360 degree layups and Chris Paul imposing his will. The Rockets never wavered, however, and fought their way back to send the series back to their home floor for Game 7. James Harden, the NBA's runner - up for MVP, did n't play in the fourth quarter. In addition to Smith and Brewer's strong play, Dwight Howard worked his way to a 20 - point, 21 - rebound performance over 40 minutes on the floor. It was one of the most stunning comebacks in franchise history, but it will be for not if the Rockets are unable to come away with a win Sunday. Los Angeles let a chance to advance to the Western Conference Finals slip away in front of a stunned home crowd. After routing the Rockets in the other two games at Staples Center this series, the Clippers seemingly lost their way late on Thursday. Despite holding Houston to 17 points in the third quarter, Los Angeles collapsed on the defensive end and allowed 40 points in the fourth. The Clippers missed their last 14 field goals before Paul's three pointer at the buzzer when the outcome had already been decided. Los Angeles will have two full days to regroup before taking the floor in Houston for Game 7.

["TeamStat(G,'Clippers') has 3 Losses ,has 107 Total points ,has 3 Points in 3rd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 3 Losses ,has 119 Total points ,has 17 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 40 Points in 4th quarter ,has 3 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Josh Smith') has 6 Defensive rebounds, has 7 3-pointers attempted, has 4 3-pointers made, has 19 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dwight Howard') has 40 Minutes played, has 20 Points, has 21 Total rebounds"]

Isaiah Thomas dished out a career - best 15 assists, while also scoring a game - high 29 points. His standout effort led to a stellar shooting night for Boston, which posted respective success rates of 55 and 55 percent from the field and three - point range. Al Horford and Jae Crowder had matching 21 - point efforts. Avery Bradley compiled 14 points, Jaylen Brown led the second unit with 10, and Marcus Smart went for nine points over 28 minutes despite coming in questionable with an illness. Gordon Hayward's 23 points led Utah, and Derrick Favors had 12 points over 29 minutes. Rodney Hood supplied nine points, while Rudy Gobert brought down 13 rebounds. Joe Johnson and Boris Diaw went for 17 and 15 points off the bench, respectively, with the latter impressively compiling his total in just 15 minutes.

["TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 55 Percentage of 3 points ,has 55 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Gordon Hayward') has 23 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Derrick Favors') has 29 Minutes played, has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rudy Gobert') has 13 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rodney Hood') has 9 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Joe Johnson') has 17 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Boris Diaw') has 15 Minutes played, has 15 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jae Crowder') has 21 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Al Horford') has 21 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Avery Bradley') has 14 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Isaiah Thomas') has 15 Assists, has 29 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcus Smart') has 28 Minutes played, has 9 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jaylen Brown') has 10 Points"]

The Oklahoma City Thunder (11 - 13) defeated the Phoenix Suns (12 - 13) 112 - 88 on Sunday. Oklahoma City has won six straight games, making a defining run following the return of their stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to the lineup two weeks ago. Their win over the Suns was a drubbing that allowed the Thunder to play their starters limited minutes. Oklahoma City shot 48 percent from the field, but where they truly dominated the game was on the glass, collecting 63 rebounds compared to the Suns' 40 rebounds. The Suns also could n't keep the Thunder off the free - throw line, allowing them to put up 30 free points at the charity stripe. Oklahoma City will start a three - game road trip in Sacramento on Tuesday against the Kings. Phoenix has dropped five straight games and appear to be in a tailspin, but that could correct itself as they embark on an Eastern Conference road trip this week that could allow them to get back in the win column. While the Suns had Isaiah Thomas return to action Friday in their 105 - 103 loss to the Detroit Pistons, the team also played without Goran Dragic on Sunday, as he was forced to sit out with a lower - back strain. Gerald Green earned the spot start in Dragic's absence and finished with 15 points and seven rebounds in 26 minutes. Phoenix will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 13 Losses ,has 112 Total points ,has 63 Rebounds ,has 11 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 13 Losses ,has 88 Total points ,has 40 Rebounds ,has 12 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Gerald Green') has 26 Minutes played, has 15 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kevin Durant') has 2 Assists, has 2 3-pointers attempted, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 6 Free throws made, has 2 Personal fouls, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Russell Westbrook') has 2 Personal fouls, has 2 Steals"]

The Houston Rockets (40) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 4) 104 - 93 on Monday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. This game was a matchup of the defeated versus the undefeated. The Rockets were able to keep their hold atop the Southwest Division by getting the victory and continuing their dominant start to the season, while the Sixers continued to struggle and are still looking for their first win. James Harden finished with 35 points (7 - 18 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt, 17 - 18 FT) and nine rebounds in 38 minutes. Trevor Ariza had the second most points, as he finished with 24 points, shooting 8 - for - 13 from the field and 6 - for - 9 from beyond the arc. He also contributed six rebounds, seven assists, and two steals. Ariza has lived up to expectations thus far in the four games the Rockets have played, as he's now averaging 15 points and 5 rebounds on the season. Dwight Howard also produced his third double - double of the season and finished this game with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Howard sat out Monday's practice after a knee - to - knee collision during Saturday's game against the Celtics but was able to play 36 minutes Monday, implying that the knee issue is not serious. The Sixers continued to get production from Tony Wroten who has been filling in for Michael Carter-Williams (shoulder) at the point. Wroten had 20 points and five steals in 30 minutes. Rookie K.J.McDaniels came off the bench and shot 5 - for - 9 from the field and 3 - for - 4 from behind the three - point line to finish with 14 points, three rebounds, and an assist. Nerlens Noel filled the stat sheet, posting 10 points, one rebound, five assists, six steals, and one blocked shot. The Rockets' next game is on the road against the Miami Heat on Tuesday, while Sixers will go on the road to Orlando and play the Magic on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 4 Losses ,has 93 Total points ,has 0 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 104 Losses ,has 4 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Trevor Ariza') has 7 Assists, has 9 3-pointers attempted, has 6 3-pointers made, has 13 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 24 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dwight Howard') has 36 Minutes played, has 11 Points, has 14 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'James Harden') has 8 3-pointers attempted, has 4 3-pointers made, has 18 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 18 Free throws attempted, has 17 Free throws made, has 38 Minutes played, has 35 Points, has 9 Total rebounds, has 4 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nerlens Noel') has 5 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 10 Points, has 1 Total rebounds, has 6 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tony Wroten') has 20 Points, has 5 Steals"]

The Atlanta Hawks (21 - 13) prevailed over the Houston Rockets (17 - 16) in a wild back - and - forth affair, 121 - 115 on Tuesday. The game provided plenty of fireworks with several outstanding individual stat lines, but the best individual matchup of the night was between the big men. Dwight Howard and Al Horford seemed to bring out each other's best and virtually matched one another point for point and rebound and rebound. Howard finished with a season - high 30 points and added 16 rebounds, while Horford equaled him with a season - high 30 points and 14 rebounds. Due to the game remaining close throughout, both players also received a higher allotment of minutes than usual. The standoff between them also extended to the final statistics down low for both clubs, as they battled to a draw near the basket; Atlanta slightly outscored Houston in the paint, 50 - 46, while the Rockets nipped them in the rebounding department, 46 - 45. Besides Horford's outstanding effort, the Hawks also got a trio of 20 - point - plus efforts from some of their most dependable starters. Kent Bazemore, already a solid contributor in rebounds and assists, turned his scoring up several notches, collecting 26 points on the night along with four assists and three rebounds. Stalwarts Jeff Teague and Paul Millsap contributed a pair of 22 - point tallies, with the latter making it a double - double by hauling in 13 boards as well. The veteran power forward also added a season - high five blocks as he dominated a Houston defense that has been one of the league's weakest against opposing fours. The Hawks improved to 21 - 13 and remain atop the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They will now enjoy an extended break over the New Year's holiday and return to action in New York on Sunday. In addition to Howard's mammoth double - double, Jame Harden pitched in with one of his own, pouring in 26 points, while also impressively grabbing a season - high 10 boards and dishing out eight assists. Clint Capela was the third Rockets starter to accomplish the feat, posting 17 points and 10 rebounds. Trevor Ariza (10 points) and Patrick Beverley (nine points) rounded out the starting five's contributions with modest outputs, while Ty Lawson continued his recent stretch of improved play by pacing the Houston bench with 14 points, four assists, a rebound and a steal. The Rockets fell to 16 - 17 and remain in fourth place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They await the Golden State Warriors for a New Year's Eve matchup at home.

["TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 17 Losses ,has 115 Total points ,has 46 Rebounds ,has 16 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 13 Losses ,has 121 Total points ,has 45 Rebounds ,has 21 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Kent Bazemore') has 4 Assists, has 26 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Paul Millsap') has 5 Blocks, has 1 3-pointers made, has 22 Points, has 13 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Al Horford') has 1 Blocks, has 30 Points, has 14 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jeff Teague') has 22 Points, has 1 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Trevor Ariza') has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 10 Points, has 1 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Clint Capela') has 5 Free throws made, has 17 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dwight Howard') has 1 Blocks, has 30 Points, has 16 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'James Harden') has 8 Assists, has 26 Points, has 10 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Patrick Beverley') has 9 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Ty Lawson') has 4 Assists, has 14 Points, has 1 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals"]

The Portland Trail Blazers (30 - 27) took care of business against the Brooklyn Nets (15 - 42), beating them112 - 104 on Tuesday, The Blazers came into this game scorching hot and carried that form over in this win. They got off to a quick start, as they outscored the Nets 34 - 21 in the first quarter. The three - point shooting was a stark contrast between the two teams, as Brooklyn shot 3 - for - 12, with the Trail Blazers shooting 10 - for - 23. The Nets actually made a run in the third quarter to make it close, but the Blazers made some big shots late to pull out the win. The Nets came into this game with four road wins on the season fought hard in a tough circumstance. Brook Lopez was fantastic in the loss, as he amassed 36 points, 10 rebounds and four steals in the loss. Joe Johnson continued his recent good form as well, as he tallied 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Up next for the Nets is a favorable matchup against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday. This now gives Portland their 10th win in their last 11 games and they continue to climb up the standings. C.J. McCollum was the catalyst in this game, as he accumulated 34 points, six assists and five rebounds in the victory. Damian Lillard continued his torrid stretch as well, as he scored 34 points for his fifth - straight 30 - plus point game. On deck for the Blazers is a matchup against the Houston Rockets on Thursday.

["TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 27 Losses ,has 34 Total points ,has 30 Points in 1st quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 42 Losses ,has 104 Total points ,has 21 Points in 1st quarter ,has 15 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Joe Johnson') has 4 Assists, has 19 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Brook Lopez') has 36 Points, has 10 Total rebounds, has 4 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'CJ McCollum') has 6 Assists, has 34 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Damian Lillard') has 34 Points"]

The Detroit Pistons (41 - 36) defeated the host Chicago Bulls (38 - 38) 94 - 90, Saturday night at United Center. Jimmy Butler's first career triple - double was not enough to salvage a win for the Chicago Bulls as they succumbed to the visiting Detroit Pistons. This was a significant game for both teams but the Bulls especially, as a win could have brought them within half a game, or even a tie for the last playoff spot. However, the Pistons did a great job to bounce back from a tough loss at home to the Mavericks on Friday, as they were relentless down the stretch to come out on top. Detroit remains in seventh place in the East, half a game ahead of Indiana and 3 games ahead of ninth place Chicago. The Bulls have six games remaining, while the Pistons have five, as the battle for the last three spots in the East remains a close one. Reggie Jackson hit four clutch free throws in the last 20 seconds to help secure the win for the Pistons. Jackson totaled 22 points (6 - 17 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 8 - 10 FT), four rebounds, four assists and one steal but also gave up six turnovers, in 35 minutes of action. Tobias Harris chipped in 21 points (9 - 17 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and one blocked shot, in 38 minutes; while Andre Drummond recorded his 64th double - double of the season, with 11 points and 11 rebounds, along with four assists and two steals, in 28 minutes. The Pistons shot 42 percent from the field, including 50 percent from long range en route to the win. Jimmy Butler did it all for Chicago, as he tallied 28 points (10 - 25 FG, 1 - 7 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), 17 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals and two blocked shots, in 39 minutes. Butler's first career triple - double was not enough as only two other Bulls players scored in double digits, while the team shot 37 percent from the field. Pau Gasol added 16 points, 14 rebounds, four blocked shots and three steals, in 34 minutes, while Aaron Brooks tallied 14 points in 16 minutes off the bench. Derrick Rose (elbow) and Taj Gibson (ribs) were both absent from the contest. The Bulls will look to get right back on track as they play in Milwaukee on Sunday. The Pistons will have a few days off before they face the Heat in Miami on Tuesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 38 Percentage of 3 points ,has 90 Percentage of field goals ,has 38 Losses ." "TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 50 Percentage of 3 points ,has 42 Percentage of field goals ,has 36 Losses ,has 94 Total points ,has 20 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 41 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Tobias Harris') has 4 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 17 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 2 Free throws attempted, has 2 Free throws made, has 38 Minutes played, has 21 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andre Drummond') has 4 Assists, has 28 Minutes played, has 11 Points, has 11 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Reggie Jackson') has 4 Assists, has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 2 3-pointers made, has 17 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 10 Free throws attempted, has 8 Free throws made, has 35 Minutes played, has 22 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals, has 6 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Pau Gasol') has 4 Blocks, has 34 Minutes played, has 16 Points, has 14 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jimmy Butler') has 12 Assists, has 2 Blocks, has 7 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 25 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 8 Free throws attempted, has 7 Free throws made, has 39 Minutes played, has 28 Points, has 17 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Aaron Brooks') has 16 Minutes played, has 14 Points"]

The Miami Heat (11 - 12) took down the Utah Jazz (6 - 17) 100 - 95 on Friday at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City. The Heat had lost five of their last six before grabbing this road win. Miami got the job done against the Jazz, largely due to an impressive night from Dwyane Wade, who scored 29 points (10 - 16 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 8 - 12 FG) to go with seven assists, three rebounds, one steal and one block in 35 minutes. Chris Bosh and Luol Deng were the only other players to hit double figures, with Bosh scoring 22 points (9 - 16 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) Deng scoring 14 points (5 - 7 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT). The Heat will look to keep it going against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night. The Jazz were only able to get 10 minutes from Derrick Favors in this one, as he left the game with a sprained ankle. Losing the big man obviously hurt them, and it forced Rudy Gobert into extended action. Gobert scored nine points (2 - 2 FG, 5 - 6 FT) to go with 11 rebounds, five blocks, four assists and one steal in 26 minutes. Enes Kanter had a nice night for the Jazz as well, putting up 25 points (10 - 17 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) to go with eight rebounds. The Jazz are in the midst of a brutal stretch where they've lost 10 of their last 11 games, and they'll face the Washington Wizards on Sunday night.

["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 17 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 11 Points in 1st quarter ,has 6 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 12 Losses ,has 100 Total points ,has 29 Points in 1st quarter ,has 11 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Luol Deng') has 2 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 7 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 4 Free throws attempted, has 3 Free throws made, has 14 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Chris Bosh') has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 16 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 4 Free throws attempted, has 3 Free throws made, has 22 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dwyane Wade') has 7 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 1 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 16 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 35 Minutes played, has 29 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Derrick Favors') has 1 Blocks, has 10 Minutes played, has 1 Personal fouls" "PlayerStat(G, 'Enes Kanter') has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 17 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 4 Free throws attempted, has 4 Free throws made, has 25 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rudy Gobert') has 4 Assists, has 5 Blocks, has 2 Field goals attempted, has 2 Field goals made, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 5 Free throws made, has 26 Minutes played, has 9 Points, has 11 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals"]

The Portland Trailblazers (10) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (0 - 1) 106 - 89 on Wednesday at the Moda Center in Portland. The Thunder turned the ball over 15 times compared to the Trail Blazers' 10 in their opening game loss. Despite the turnover difference, the game was very close heading into the fourth quarter. That's when the Trail Blazers caught fire and outscored the Thunder 31 to 12 to close out the game. With Kevin Durant (foot surgery) out for most of the first two months of the season, Russell Westbrook is going to take a lot of shots. He got off 26 total Wednesday, while going 11 - for - 26 from the field for 38 points. Westbrook also got to the line at will and made 15 - of - 16 attempts there. Lance Thomas was the next highest scorer with 14 off the bench. He recorded three rebounds and two assists as well in the 31 minutes of action he received. Serge Ibaka was the only other player in double digits for the Thunder, as he contributed 10 points to go along with eight rebounds, two assists, and four blocked shots. Steven Adams got the start at center and posted eight points with seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals. The Trail Blazers had six players score in double - digits. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 27 points (10 - 19 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT) to go with three rebounds, two assists, a steal, and two blocks. Wesley Matthews scored 22 points, going 8 - for - 12 from the field and 5 - for - 9 from the three - point line. Getting his first double - double of the season, Robin Lopez contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds, while also adding a steal and two blocks in 32 minutes of action. Starting at small forward, Nicolas Batum scored 16 points and posted five rebounds, six assists, one steal, and a blocked shot. The Thunder will go on the road and play the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, while the Trail Blazers will travel to Sacramento to play the Kings on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 106 Losses ,has 31 Total points ,has 10 Points in 4th quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 1 Losses ,has 89 Total points ,has 12 Points in 4th quarter ,has 0 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Serge Ibaka') has 2 Assists, has 4 Blocks, has 10 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Steven Adams') has 2 Assists, has 8 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Russell Westbrook') has 2 3-pointers attempted, has 26 Field goals attempted, has 11 Field goals made, has 16 Free throws attempted, has 15 Free throws made, has 2 Offensive rebounds, has 38 Points, has 2 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Lance Thomas') has 2 Assists, has 31 Minutes played, has 14 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nicolas Batum') has 6 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 16 Points, has 5 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'LaMarcus Aldridge') has 2 Assists, has 2 Blocks, has 1 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 19 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 8 Free throws attempted, has 6 Free throws made, has 27 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Robin Lopez') has 2 Blocks, has 32 Minutes played, has 11 Points, has 10 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Wesley Matthews') has 9 3-pointers attempted, has 5 3-pointers made, has 12 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 22 Points"]

The visiting Houston Rockets took down the host Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, 125 - 111. Houston (22 - 8) has won 11 of its last 12 contests, bouncing back with the win over the Suns after having lost to the Spurs on Tuesday night. Point guard James Harden continued his ridiculous stretch of play, posting a team - high 27 points to go along with 14 assists. Guard Eric Gordon, meanwhile, scored 24 points off the bench and passed Steph Curry for the league lead in three pointers made thanks to a whopping seven shots from beyond the arc on Wednesday. Seven Rockets scored in double digits in the win, including every member of the Houston starting five. Phoenix (8 - 21) is in the opposite position of Houston, having now lost four straight. The Suns sit near the bottom of the Western Conference despite having seen strong play from star point guard Eric Bledsoe recently. On Wednesday, Bledsoe scored 16, but took a back seat to sophomore guard Devin Booker. Booker poured in a team - high 28 points in addition to six rebounds and seven assists. Bench players TJ Warren and Brandon Knight scored 19 and 17, respectively. The Rockets will visit Memphis on Friday, while the Suns will host the 76ers.

["TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 21 Losses ,has 111 Total points ,has 8 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 8 Losses ,has 125 Total points ,has 11 Turnovers ,has 22 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'James Harden') has 14 Assists, has 27 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Eric Gordon') has 7 3-pointers made, has 24 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Devin Booker') has 7 Assists, has 28 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Eric Bledsoe') has 16 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'TJ Warren') has 17 Field goals attempted, has 19 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Brandon Knight') has 17 Points"]

The Utah Jazz defeated the Dallas Mavericks 97 - 81 Vivint Smart Home Arena on Wednesday. The Jazz (2 - 2) notched their second straight victory after a slow 0 - 2 start to the regular season thanks in large part to the excellent play of their starting backcourt. Starting point guard George Hill scored 20 - plus points for the second straight night, putting up a team - high 25 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists, while starting shooting guard Rodney Hood managed to record 22 points and seven rebounds of his own. The two combined to shoot 6 - of - 10 from the 3 - point line, while as a team, the Jazz won the game with their long range shooting, hitting 12 of their 25 shots from long range. The Mavericks (0 - 3) did n't have the same success on their attempts from downtown, shooting just 7 - of - 26 shots from long range on their way to dropping their third straight game to start the season. Harrison Barnes, the team's high scorer on the night, managed to score just 14 points, while Dallas' starting backcourt consisting of Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews scored only 12 points a piece. Dirk Nowitzki, who returned to action Wednesday after missing last game with an illness, managed just nine points in 29 minutes of play. In the end, it was a night to forget offensively for the Mavericks. Up next, the Jazz will stay at home for a rematch with the Spurs on Friday, while the Mavericks will head home Friday to take on the Trail Blazers.

["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 2 Losses ,has 97 Total points ,has 25 Points in 1st quarter ,has 12 Points in 3rd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 81 Losses ,has 14 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Harrison Barnes') has 14 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dirk Nowitzki') has 29 Minutes played, has 9 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Wesley Matthews') has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Deron Williams') has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rodney Hood') has 22 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'George Hill') has 4 Assists, has 25 Points, has 6 Total rebounds"]

The Atlanta Hawks (49 - 12) asserted their dominance as the top team in the East on Friday by beating the fourth - place Cleveland Cavaliers (39 - 25) 106 - 97 on Friday. As usual, it was a team effort that gave the Hawks the win, with seven players finishing in double digits, including Dennis Schroder's 15 points and eight assists in 24 minutes off the bench. Despite playing a somewhat limited role off the bench, Schroder has averaged 16 points and 9 assists in just 29 minutes per game over his last three outings. The Hawks do n't have an MVP candidate on their roster, but if they keep beating the other top teams in the NBA, it makes the idea of extending the Player of the Month Award that was given to the entire starting five for their perfect 170 run in January an intriguing notion to suggest for the MVP award that is historically only given to one player. They have an 11 - game lead on the second - place Chicago Bulls, and they're the only team in the NBA to already have a playoff spot secured. The Cavaliers are no slouches, but they've struggled a little lately, winning just two of their last five games. They had trouble protecting the ball Friday, as Kyrie Irving coughed up the ball five times, and LeBron James tied his career high for turnovers in regulation by losing the ball nine times. The Hawks forced a lot of those turnovers with great pressure defense to force the ball out of the Cavs' playmakers' hands, and they scored 20 easy points off the Cavs' 18 turnovers. While King James struggled, James Harden was busy putting up a triple - double on the Detroit Pistons on Friday, as both players remain two of the top players in consideration for the MVP award this season, and the narratives about who is more deserving change from night to night as they trade off impressive performances. Cleveland will return home to host the Suns on Saturday, and the Hawks go on the road to face the 76ers on Saturday.

["TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 12 Losses ,has 106 Total points ,has 49 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 25 Losses ,has 97 Total points ,has 39 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'LeBron James') has 5 Defensive rebounds, has 5 Field goals made, has 2 Steals, has 9 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyrie Irving') has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 5 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dennis Schroder') has 8 Assists, has 24 Minutes played, has 15 Points"]

In a game with 11 ties and 11 lead changes in total, neither team led by more than eight points in this overtime thriller. Defense carried the Spurs, as they held the Pelicans to 39 percent shooting, while committing 16 turnovers. San Antonio's bench was huge as well, outscoring New Orleans' bench, 35 - 16. Kawhi Leonard carried the Spurs, as he accumulated 31 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals. LaMarcus Aldridge finished second on the team with 21 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks. Patty Mills provided 15 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals off the bench, while Pau Gasol amassed 12 points and eight rebounds off the pine as well. Anthony Davis led the Pelicans with 29 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Jrue Holiday finished second on the team with 26 points, seven rebounds and five assists. DeMarcus Cousins totaled 19 points, 23 rebounds and four assists.

["TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 39 Percentage of field goals ,has 16 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Kawhi Leonard') has 6 Assists, has 31 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'LaMarcus Aldridge') has 3 Blocks, has 21 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Pau Gasol') has 2 Assists" "PlayerStat(G, 'Patty Mills') has 2 Assists, has 15 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Anthony Davis') has 3 Assists, has 29 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMarcus Cousins') has 4 Assists, has 19 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jrue Holiday') has 5 Assists, has 26 Points, has 7 Total rebounds"]

The Dallas Mavericks (31 - 28) defeated the visiting Denver Nuggets (23 - 36) 122 - 116, on Friday night at American Airlines Center. This was a much needed win for the Mavericks, who came into this one losers of six of their last eight games and in danger of slipping out of the top eight in the West with another loss. Meanwhile, Denver was coming off a win against the Clippers but have now lost five of six. It took overtime to solve this one thanks to a huge rally by Dallas that overcame a 14 - point deficit in the fourth quarter to tie the game with 10 seconds left. With the game tied at 108 after four quarters Dallas exploded for 14 points in overtime, led by Raymond Felton, who went off for eight points in the period. Felton finished the game with 16 points (7 - 12 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), six assists and four rebounds, in 40 minutes off the bench. Chandler Parsons tallied a game - high 27 points (10 - 17 FG, 4 - 10 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), along with five rebounds and four assists, in 40 minutes, while Dirk Nowitzki poured in 20 points (10 - 21 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt) along with 13 rebounds and four assists, in 40 minutes. New addition David Lee was effective in 25 minutes off the bench, with 14 points (6 - 10 FG, 2 - 4 FT) and 14 rebounds, in 25 minutes off the bench. Dallas shot 51 percent from the field and hit 21 - of - 27 free throws to earn this much needed win against the tenacious Nuggets. Six players scored in double figures for Denver, including Will Barton, who led the way with 22 points (9 - 24 FG, 0 - 7 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), along with nine rebounds and three assists, in 43 minutes off the bench. Kenneth Faried tallied a double - double in 34 minutes, with 20 points (8 - 12 FG, 4 - 6 FT) and 12 rebounds. Newly acquired guard D.J. Augustin once again proved his ability to add instant offense to just about any team he joins, as he chipped in 20 points (7 - 14 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), three assists and two rebounds, in 36 minutes off the bench. The Nuggets fell short hitting 46 percent of their field goals, including 9 - of - 29 from deep and missing 10 of their 31 free throw attempts. Next, the Nuggets host the Grizzlies on Monday. The Mavericks will look for their second straight win when they host the Timberwolves on Sunday.

["TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 51 Percentage of field goals ,has 28 Losses ,has 122 Total points ,has 31 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 46 Percentage of field goals ,has 36 Losses ,has 116 Total points ,has 23 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Kenneth Faried') has 12 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 4 Free throws made, has 34 Minutes played, has 20 Points, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'D.J. Augustin') has 3 Assists, has 6 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 14 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 4 Free throws attempted, has 3 Free throws made, has 36 Minutes played, has 20 Points, has 2 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Will Barton') has 3 Assists, has 7 3-pointers attempted, has 0 3-pointers made, has 24 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 5 Free throws attempted, has 4 Free throws made, has 43 Minutes played, has 22 Points, has 9 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Chandler Parsons') has 4 Assists, has 10 3-pointers attempted, has 4 3-pointers made, has 17 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 4 Free throws attempted, has 3 Free throws made, has 40 Minutes played, has 27 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dirk Nowitzki') has 4 Assists, has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 0 3-pointers made, has 21 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 40 Minutes played, has 20 Points, has 13 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'David Lee') has 10 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 4 Free throws attempted, has 2 Free throws made, has 25 Minutes played, has 14 Points, has 14 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Raymond Felton') has 6 Assists, has 4 Defensive rebounds, has 2 3-pointers attempted, has 0 3-pointers made, has 12 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 2 Free throws attempted, has 2 Free throws made, has 40 Minutes played, has 16 Points, has 4 Total rebounds"]

The San Antonio Spurs (67 - 15) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (42 - 40) 96 - 91 on Wednesday night. With the second seed guaranteed, and a three - game losing streak having been broken on Tuesday night, coach Gregg Popovich opted to rest the majority of his starters. San Antonio's starting five resembled a unit that could easily be envisioned playing in the fourth quarter of a mid - October exhibtion, with Kyle Anderson, Andre Miller, Kyle Anderson, Danny Green and Boban Marjanovic taking the floor. Despite essentially playing with second and third units, the Spurs were impressively able to garner a road victory against a Dallas team that could have potentially improved its playoff positioning with a victory. San Antonio was led by Marjanovic's 22 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included two blocks and an assist. Jonathan Simmons was next, tallying 19 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals in 31 minutes off the bench. Marjanovic's and Simmons' point totals were notably career highs. Anderson contributed a double - double of his own, managing 15 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and five steals. Danny Green supplied 12 points, three assists, two rebounds and a steal. The Spurs finish atop the Western Conference's Southwest Division, with their playoff opponent still to be determined as of this writing. Dallas was led by a 22 - point effort off the bench from Raymond Felton, who also supplied four rebounds, two assists and a steal. Dirk Nowitzki pitched in with 19 points, seven rebounds, an assist and a steal. Deron Williams totaled 13 points, seven assists and two rebounds. Wesley Matthews amassed 11 points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. The Mavericks finish in third place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They'll be slotted in either the seventh or the sixth seed, with the latter serving as the most probable outcome, as it's dependent on the Warriors defeating the Grizzlies later Wednesday night.

["TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 40 Losses ,has 91 Total points ,has 42 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 15 Losses ,has 96 Total points ,has 67 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyle Anderson') has 4 Assists, has 15 Points, has 10 Total rebounds, has 5 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Boban Marjanovic') has 1 Assists, has 2 Blocks, has 22 Points, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Danny Green') has 3 Assists, has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 12 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andre Miller') has 5 Assists, has 5 Defensive rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jonathon Simmons') has 2 Assists, has 31 Minutes played, has 19 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dirk Nowitzki') has 1 Assists, has 19 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Wesley Matthews') has 3 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 11 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Deron Williams') has 7 Assists, has 13 Points, has 2 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Raymond Felton') has 2 Assists, has 22 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals"]

The Chicago Bulls defeated the visiting Sacramento Kings 102 - 99, at United Center on Saturday evening. The Bulls literally stole one from the Kings, as Dwyane Wade came up with two huge steals in the last minute to seal the deal for Chicago. First Wade stole the ball then raced down floor but missed a dunk to go ahead by two, however a foul was called against DeMarcus Cousins on the play to put Wade at the line. Wade missed the first of two free throws but hit the second to put his squad up 100 - 99. The Kings then took a timeout with 14 seconds on the clock. Out of the timeout, they inbounded the ball to Cousins at the three - point line, and he proceeded to take it into the paint, but as he was backing down his defender, Wade swooped in for the game saving steal, and raced away, passing the ball ahead for a dunk which put the game out of reach. The Bulls (22 - 23) really needed this one, as they were coming off two ugly losses. Wade had a rough start to the game but ended up coming through, with a team - high 30 points, to go along with six rebounds, four assists, four blocks and three steals. Three other players scored in double digits for the Bulls, led by Jimmy Butler's 23 points. Paul Zipser came up big for Chicago, as he chipped in 13 points on 4 - of - 8 shooting, in 23 minutes off the bench, while Nikola Mirotic added 11 points off the bench. The Bulls will look to build on this win, as they head to Orlando to take on the Magic on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Kings (18 - 27) were dealt a heartbreaker, as the foul on Wade's would - be go - ahead dunk was a questionable one, and will likely be mentioned in Sunday's L2M report. DeMarcus Cousins did all he could to give his team the edge, as he was the only player to score in double digits for the Kings. Cousins finished with a game - high 42 points, to go along with 14 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal, in 35 minutes. The Kings will have to put the past behind them as they move on to Detroit, where they will face the third game of their current eight - game road trip.

["TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 23 Losses ,has 102 Total points ,has 22 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 99 Losses ." "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMarcus Cousins') has 3 Assists, has 2 Blocks, has 2 3-pointers made, has 35 Minutes played, has 2 Offensive rebounds, has 42 Points, has 14 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals, has 2 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jimmy Butler') has 23 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dwyane Wade') has 4 Assists, has 4 Blocks, has 2 3-pointers attempted, has 30 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 2 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Paul Zipser') has 8 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made, has 23 Minutes played, has 13 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Mirotic') has 11 Points"]

The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Miami Heat, 103 - 95, at Philips Arena on Wednesday. Atlanta was in desperate need of a win and they were able to take care of a shorthanded Miami team here. Defense was key for the Hawks, as they held the Heat to 42 percent shooting and forced them to commit 16 turnovers. Atlanta also dominated in the paint, winning the rebounding battle, 47 - 34, and outscoring them in the paint 58 - 26.The Hawks shot 49 percent from the field and assisted on 27 of their 43 made baskets. This was a near wire - to - wire win for the Hawks, as Miami held just one lead in the first five minutes. Miami (7 - 15) are as beat - up as anyone right now and it's taking a toll on the heavily used starters. Hassan Whiteside really struggled in this game, as he amassed eight points, 12 rebounds and one blocks on 4 - of - 12 shooting. Tyler Johnson was the team's best player, as he tallied 27 points and five assists off the bench. Goran Dragic continued his good form, scoring 21 points and handing out four assists. Rodney McGruder got the start for Justise Winslow and finished with 11 points, five rebounds and five assists. It does n't get any easier for the Heat, as they play the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road for their next game. Atlanta (11 - 12) had lost seven - straight headed into this game, so to say this win was needed would be a drastic understatement. Dwight Howard took a lot of the load on his broad shoulders, as he tallied 23 points, 17 rebounds and four assists. It was n't just offense though, as he held the dominant Hassan Whiteside in check. Paul Millsap also played great, accumulating 21 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocks in the victory. Dennis Schroeder was the only other player in double figures, accruing 17 points, four rebounds and seven assists. Atlanta will look to build off this win on Friday, when they play the Milwaukee Bucks on the road.

["TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 27 Number of team assists ,has 49 Percentage of field goals ,has 12 Losses ,has 103 Total points ,has 11 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 43 Number of team assists ,has 15 Percentage of field goals ,has 95 Losses ,has 16 Total points ,has 7 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Hassan Whiteside') has 1 Blocks, has 12 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made, has 8 Points, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rodney McGruder') has 5 Assists, has 11 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Goran Dragic') has 4 Assists, has 21 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tyler Johnson') has 5 Assists, has 27 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Paul Millsap') has 3 Blocks, has 21 Points, has 9 Total rebounds, has 4 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dwight Howard') has 4 Assists, has 23 Points, has 17 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dennis Schroder') has 7 Assists, has 17 Points, has 4 Total rebounds"]

The Hawks (36 - 8) rolled to their 15th straight victory Friday, handling the Thunder 103 - 93 at Phillips Arena. Atlanta fell behind 30 - 23 after the first 12 minutes but responded with a big second quarter, outscoring Oklahoma City 25 - 17. The Hawks carried a four - point lead into the fourth quarter, when they would break the game open behind an 80 run spurred by Dennis Schroder. Schroder scored six points and assisted on an Al Horford layup, as the run put Atlanta up 87 - 76 with eight minutes to play. The Thunder never got within eight points the rest of the way, and a Horford three - pointer with two minutes to play put the exclamation point on a signature win for the East-leading Hawks. Atlanta, which shot 48 percent from the field, was led by 22 points and 10 rebounds from Paul Millsap. Horford finished with 14 points and 12 boards, while Jeff Teague added 17 points and nine assists. DeMarre Carroll chipped in 13 points, and Schroder had 13 of his own off the bench. The Hawks registered 27 assists as a team and out - rebounded the Thunder, who lead the NBA in rebounds per game, by an 11 - board margin. Oklahoma City got 22 points from Russell Westbrook and 21 from Kevin Durant, but only one other player, Serge Ibaka, scored in double - figures (13). The Thunder committed just 11 turnovers and connected on 10 three - pointers, but it was their interior defense that ultimately led to the loss. The Hawks scored more than half of their points in the paint (54) and shot 52 percent from two - point range. Up next, the Thunder head to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers on Sunday afternoon. Atlanta remains home to host the Timberwolves on Sunday night.

["TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 27 Number of team assists ,has 48 Percentage of field goals ,has 8 Losses ,has 103 Total points ,has 23 Points in 1st quarter ,has 25 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 36 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 21 Number of team assists ,has 93 Percentage of field goals ,has 30 Losses ,has 17 Total points ,has 11 Points in 1st quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Kevin Durant') has 1 Blocks, has 21 Points, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Serge Ibaka') has 1 Assists, has 1 3-pointers made, has 13 Points, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Russell Westbrook') has 1 Offensive rebounds, has 22 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMarre Carroll') has 13 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Paul Millsap') has 22 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Al Horford') has 14 Points, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jeff Teague') has 9 Assists, has 13 Field goals attempted, has 17 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dennis Schroder') has 13 Points"]

The Milwaukee Bucks (14 - 21) recorded a road win against the Minnesota Timberwolves (12 - 22) on Saturday, beating them by a final score of 95 - 85. Milwaukee has had a troubling start to the season after returning to the playoff picture in 2014 - 15. The Bucks, last year's sixth seed, now sit at thirteenth in the Eastern Conference. The win over the Wolves, however, marks the Bucks' second straight win after they defeated division rival Inidana on Thursday. Six players scored in double digits for Milwaukee, with center Greg Monroe leading the way with 19. 21 - year - old small forward Giannis "The Greek Freak" Antetenkoumpo delivered a strong defensive showing to go along with 11 points and nine rebounds. The team shot just 42 percent from the field, but performed well from deep on the whole, knocking down 8 - of - 16 from beyond the arc. For the Wolves, meanwhile, rookie sensation Karl-Anthony Towns delivered a rare weak showing. The 20 - year - old center shot just 4 - for - 17, despite delivering a strong performance on the glass (10 rebounds) and on the defensive end (one steal, three blocks). Reigning Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins scored a team - high 19 points for Minnesota while also playing pesky defense, recording three steals. The Bucks are on a two - game win streak, but will face a challenging matchup against the powerhouse Spurs on Monday. The Timberwolves, meanwhile, will hope for a bounceback as they prepare to take on the league - worst 76ers.

["TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 22 Losses ,has 85 Total points ,has 19 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 12 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 21 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 14 Points in 2nd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Giannis Antetokounmpo') has 11 Points, has 9 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Greg Monroe') has 19 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andrew Wiggins') has 19 Points, has 3 Steals"]

On Sunday, rising young forward Doug McDermott had one of the better nights of his career. McDermott scored a team - high 31 points with three three - pointers and 10 - of - 11 from the free - throw line. Superstar forward Jimmy Butler anchored the starting five, going for 16 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Veteran big man Taj Gibson led the starting five in scoring with 18 points and had eight rebounds. As a team, the Bulls shot a whopping 51 percent from the field and reached the free - throw line 35 times. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, saw strong play from their veteran core. Center Marc Gasol scored 24 points to go with 11 rebounds. Point guard Mike Conley, meanwhile, led the team with 28 points and eight assists. Off the bench, big man Zach Randolph had 16 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end.

["TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 51 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Taj Gibson') has 5 Free throws attempted, has 18 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jimmy Butler') has 6 Assists, has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 16 Points, has 8 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Doug McDermott') has 1 Blocks, has 3 3-pointers made, has 11 Free throws attempted, has 10 Free throws made, has 31 Points, has 1 Steals, has 1 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marc Gasol') has 24 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mike Conley') has 8 Assists, has 28 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Zach Randolph') has 8 Defensive rebounds, has 8 Offensive rebounds, has 16 Total rebounds"]

The Chicago Bulls (2 - 1) took down the Cleveland Cavaliers (1 - 2) 99 - 96, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Friday. Derrick Rose hit a wild, three - point buzzer - beater that banked in for the win. That final bucket put Rose at 30 points for the evening to go along with his seven assists and seven rebounds. Pau Gasol injured his hamstring and was n't able to return after playing just 22 minutes. That made the impact of Nikola's Mirotic even more imperative, as the rookie showed he can be a big - game player. Mirotic had 12 points, eight rebounds and two steals in 22 minutes of action, as well as a plus - 19 in the plus/minus statistic, which was the highest of any player on either team. Regardless of his play, the Bulls would love to see Gasol back and healthy for Game 4 in Chicago on Sunday. The Cavaliers thought they were going to overtime, after J.R. Smith nailed a three - pointer with under eleven seconds to play. All they needed was one more stop, but Derrick Rose banked in his miraculous shot to end the Cavs hopes of an extra period. Kyrie Irving seemed to injure his foot in the first quarter and did n't quite look the same the rest of the way. He finished with just 11 points, four rebounds and two steals. Irving also failed to record an assists in 38 minutes. With Irving somewhat hobbled, it was up to LeBron James to take over for Cleveland. James finished with 27 points, 14 assists and eight rebounds but also recorded seven costly turnovers, with the Bulls' Jimmy Butler playing tenacious defense. Tristan Thompson had a nice game with 10 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks, but it was n't enough to regain homecourt advantage for the Cavaliers. If they cane win Game 4 in Chicago on Sunday, they'll head back home with two of the final three games being held in Cleveland.

["TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 1 Losses ,has 99 Total points ,has 27 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 7 Turnovers ,has 2 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 2 Losses ,has 96 Total points ,has 11 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 1 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G, 'LeBron James') has 14 Assists, has 7 3-pointers attempted, has 27 Points, has 8 Total rebounds, has 7 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tristan Thompson') has 3 Blocks, has 10 Points, has 13 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyrie Irving') has 38 Minutes played, has 11 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'JR Smith') has 1 Assists" "PlayerStat(G, 'Pau Gasol') has 4 Assists, has 22 Minutes played, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jimmy Butler') has 7 Defensive rebounds, has 7 Field goals made, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Derrick Rose') has 7 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 1 3-pointers made, has 1 Offensive rebounds, has 30 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Mirotic') has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 22 Minutes played, has 12 Points, has 8 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals"]

The Atlanta Hawks (44 - 12) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (31 - 24) 97 - 86 on Sunday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee. The Hawks came out firing in this game and built an early lead, out - scoring the Bucks 48 - 35 in the first half alone. The Bucks made a run in the third to bring themselves within two, but the Hawks took off in the fourth quarter and finished with an 11 - point victory on the road. With the win, the Hawks ended the Bucks' four game winstreak, while also getting back in the winning column after losing their last two in a row. It was a relatively sloppy game, with each team committing at least 20 turnovers, but the Hawks were able to overcome and keep themselves positioned atop the Eastern Conference standings. The Hawks had six players reach double figures, including all five starters. Paul Millsap was especially effective, as he went off for 23 points (10 - 21FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), 16 rebounds and two blocked shots. The Bucks' frontcourt just did n't have an answer for him defensively, as Millsap got all the shots he wanted, all game long. Center Al Horford also had an impressive showing, posting 15 points (5 - 12 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), eight rebounds and two blocked shots. He struggled offensively in his first game back from the All-Star break with only seven points on Friday, so it looked as if Horford was back to his normal ways in Sunday's matchup. The Hawks' backcourt duo of Kyle Korver (4 - 11 FG, 4 - 9 3Pt) and Jeff Teague (4 - 8 FG, 2 - 2 FT) also reached double figures with 12 and 10 points respectively. Teague has scored 12 points or less in each of his last four games, despite averaging 17 points on the season, so he's still trying to get things turned back around. Dennis Schroder added 12 points (3 - 10 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and nine assists off the bench in 26 minutes. Giannis Antetokounmpo had a strong showing in this one, going 7 - for - 15 from the field to score 19 points, while also adding four rebounds and two blocked shots. After shooting just 23 percent (3 - 13 FG) from the field on Friday, it was good to see him get back on track, although he did n't grab as many rebounds as he normally does. Khris Middleton added 19 points (6 - 12 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) of his own, to go along with four rebounds and five assists. He's had a nice stretch of four games, averaging 17 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists over that span, so he showed no signs of slowing down Sunday. Receiving another start at point guard, Jarryd Bayless went 6 - for - 11 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line to finish with 13 points, while adding three assists and three steals. It was his second straight start with Michael Carter-Williams still injured, as he's combined for 24 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists over that span, while posing as the replacement point guard in the starting lineup. As soon as Carter-Williams is healthy, it should push Bayless back to the bench. The Hawks' next game will be at home against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, while the Bucks will travel to Chicago to play the Bulls on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 24 Losses ,has 86 Total points ,has 31 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 12 Losses ,has 97 Total points ,has 20 Turnovers ,has 44 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Paul Millsap') has 2 Blocks, has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 10 Field goals made, has 2 Free throws attempted, has 2 Free throws made, has 23 Points, has 16 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Al Horford') has 2 Blocks, has 1 3-pointers attempted, has 0 3-pointers made, has 12 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 5 Free throws made, has 15 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyle Korver') has 9 3-pointers attempted, has 4 3-pointers made, has 11 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made, has 4 Personal fouls, has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jeff Teague') has 8 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made, has 2 Free throws attempted, has 2 Free throws made, has 10 Points, has 4 Steals, has 4 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dennis Schroder') has 9 Assists, has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 10 Field goals attempted, has 3 Field goals made, has 26 Minutes played, has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Giannis Antetokounmpo') has 2 Blocks, has 15 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 1 Offensive rebounds, has 1 Personal fouls, has 19 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals, has 1 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Khris Middleton') has 5 Assists, has 4 Defensive rebounds, has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 12 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 6 Free throws made, has 19 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jerryd Bayless') has 3 Assists, has 2 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 11 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 13 Points, has 3 Steals"]

The Magic were routed at home by the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday by a score of 109 - 86. Detroit's Jodie Meeks stole the show by putting on a three - point clinic, shooting 9 - of - 11 from deep on his way to scoring a season - high 34 points. Meeks began taking over in the second quarter, where he scored 11 consecutive points for the Pistons to help them take a nine - point lead late in the first half. He received from help from starting center Andre Drummond. Drummond put up a double - double of 17 points and 22 rebounds in 31 minutes. The Pistons have now won their last three games by a combined 56 points, which is all the more impressive considering that they had lost four in a row prior to this current win streak. Detroit will look to extend its winning streak on Friday when they travel to Madison Square Garden to take on the Knicks. The Magic were playing their second game in as many days, coming off a win over the Miami Heat on Monday. They entered the fourth quarter down by just ten points, but mustered only three points in the first four minutes of the period while Detroit extended its lead to 19 points. The Magic will play another back - to - back set this weekend when they host the Nets and Hornets on Friday and Saturday respectively.

["TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 86 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 109 Total points ,has 34 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 11 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Andre Drummond') has 31 Minutes played, has 17 Points, has 22 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jodie Meeks') has 11 3-pointers attempted, has 9 3-pointers made, has 11 Field goals made, has 34 Points"]

The Detroit Pistons defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in overtime, 120 - 113, at Palace of Auburn Hills on Tuesday. There was n't a whole lot to separate these two in this matchup, as it took free basketball to decide a winner. Portland actually led for the majority of the game, as Detroit outscored them by 11 in the fourth quarter and overtime. Turnovers were the glaring difference in the game, as the Pistons committed just seven turnovers, while forcing 24 from the Trail Blazers. Portland dominated the shooting strangely enough, as they shot 52 percent to Detroit's 43 percent. The Blazers (23 - 35) are battling for the eight - seed in the west and overtime losses like this are devastating for that pursuit. Damian Lillard did all he could for Portland, as he led the team with 34 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. C.J. McCollum tallied 25 points, four rebounds and two assists. Jusuf Nurkic continued his good form with Portland, as he accrued 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Those three did combine for 14 turnovers though, which was double the total of the Pistons. Portland will host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday for their next game. The Pistons (29 - 31) are slowly climbing back to .500, as they've now won three of their last four games. Marcus Morris was the player of the game, as he accumulated 37 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Andre Drummond finished second on the team, totaling 19 points and 15 rebounds. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope collected 16 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals. Ish Smith was a huge spark off the bench, providing 12 points, seven assists and seven steals. Detroit's in action again on Wednesday in a road matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans.

["TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 43 Percentage of field goals ,has 31 Losses ,has 120 Total points ,has 7 Turnovers ,has 29 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 52 Percentage of field goals ,has 113 Losses ,has 24 Total points ,has 24 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Jusuf Nurkic') has 5 Assists, has 19 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'CJ McCollum') has 2 Assists, has 25 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Damian Lillard') has 9 Assists, has 34 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcus Morris') has 6 Assists, has 37 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andre Drummond') has 19 Points, has 15 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kentavious Caldwell-Pope') has 3 Assists, has 16 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Ish Smith') has 7 Assists, has 12 Points, has 7 Steals"]

The Brooklyn Nets (14 - 39) won a thriller Monday night at Barclays Center over the Denver Nuggets (21 - 32), 105 - 104. Joe Johnson's 27 - foot three - point basket off one leg as time expired snatched victory from the jaws of defeat for the Nets. The Nuggets tied the game 95 - 95 on a Danilo Gallinari free throw with 5:33 to go in the game, and neither team would build more than a two - point lead at any point the rest of the way. With just one second to go, Kenneth Faried nailed a six - foot runner with just over one second to go that looked to seal the victory for the Nuggets, but after the Nets used a timeout to advance the ball, Johnson's buzzer - beater won it for Brooklyn. Johnson finished with 12 points and eight assists, but the Nets were led by Thaddeus Young's 20 points (9 - 15 FG), seven rebounds, three blocks, and two assists as he stuffed the stat sheet all night. Markel Brown made a big impact off the bench, as he scored a career high 19 points on sharp 6 - 10 shooting, including 2 - 4 from three - point land. The Nets shot a cool 47 percent (9 - 19) from three as a team. Gallinari's 24 was a game - high as he sank four three - pointers; he also dished seven assists, grabbed three rebounds and nabbed two steals. Kenneth Faried scored 22 and added 13 rebounds for his third double - double in the past four games. Gary Harris added 17 points on an efficient 8 - 12 night from the floor, but Denver was outshot both overall (52 percent to 47 percent) and from three (47 percent to 36 percent). The Nets will take to the road for a Wednesday matchup against Memphis. The Nuggets continue their road trip Wednesday against the Pistons.

["TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 47 Percentage of 3 points ,has 39 Percentage of field goals ,has 105 Losses ,has 14 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 36 Percentage of 3 points ,has 47 Percentage of field goals ,has 32 Losses ,has 104 Total points ,has 21 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Danilo Gallinari') has 7 Assists, has 4 3-pointers made, has 24 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kenneth Faried') has 2 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 6 Offensive rebounds, has 22 Points, has 13 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Gary Harris') has 3 Defensive rebounds, has 17 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Joe Johnson') has 8 Assists, has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Thaddeus Young') has 2 Assists, has 3 Blocks, has 15 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 20 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Markel Brown') has 19 Points"]

When the Golden State Warriors shooters find their stroke, opposing teams will find it nearly impossible to cut into early first quarter leads. The Warriors finished with 52 percent from behind the arc and 58 percent from the field as a unit. They simply poured in basket after basket and took a 67 - 36 lead into the half. Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson all finished with 20 - plus points. Durant led the way with 28 points, to go along with 10 rebounds, while Thompson busted out of his shooting slump with 20 points on 8 - of - 13 shooting. Warriors rookie Patrick McCaw saw 20 minutes of action in the win, and finished with five points, three assists and two rebounds. The bench was quiet overall for Golden State, with no one player finishing in double figures, but the second unit had no pressure to score given the heavy minutes seen from starters Durant and Draymond Green.

["TeamStat(G,'Warriors') has 52 Percentage of 3 points ,has 58 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Kevin Durant') has 1 Blocks, has 28 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Draymond Green') has 1 Blocks, has 1 Free throws attempted, has 1 Offensive rebounds, has 1 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Klay Thompson') has 13 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Patrick McCaw') has 3 Assists, has 20 Minutes played, has 5 Points, has 2 Total rebounds"]

The Milwaukee Bucks (40 - 40) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (47 - 43) 96 - 73 on Sunday in Milwaukee. After holding just a two point lead after the first half, the Bucks used a monster second half to turn this game into a route, outscoring the Nets by 12 in the third period and nine in the fourth. The victory not only brought Milwaukee back to .500, but it also clinched them a playoff birth after holding the worst record in the NBA last season. Ersan Ilyasova led the way for the Bucks, scoring 21 points (8 - 12 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt), 11 of which came in the third quarter, and grabbing five rebounds in 28 minutes. This comes after Ilyasova scored just eight points in his previous two outings combined. Khris Middleton scored 16 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting to along with seven assists and four rebounds in 30 minutes of action. Giannis Antetokounmpo was not far behind, recording 13 points on 6 - of - 14 shooting, nine rebounds and seven assists in 30 minutes. O.J. Mayo scored 17 points (6 - 13 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt) in 20 minutes off the bench, while Michael Carter-Williams scored 12 to round out the five Milwaukee players who scored in double figures. The Bucks recorded 30 total assists on 41 made field goals, and the win leaves them as the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference, which is likely where they will stay as the season comes to an end. The loss is a big one for the Nets, as they are still fighting for their playoff lives, and this loss leaves them with just a half - game lead over the Pacers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East with two games left on their schedule. Only one Brooklyn starter scored in double figures, as Brook Lopez recorded a double - double of 12 points (3 - 8 FG, 6 - 7 FT) and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes. Off the bench, both Mason Plumlee and Jarrett Jack scored 11 points in 17 and 24 minutes respectively. Deron Williams struggled mightily shooting the ball, going just 1 - for - 11 from the field en route to scoring just four points in 33 minutes. He was, however, able to record seven assists and seven rebounds. As a team, the Nets shot a dreadful 33 percent from the field and 17 percent from three, all while recording 21 turnovers to just 17 assists. Up next, the Bucks will travel to Philadelphia Monday to take on the 76ers, while the Nets head home to Chicago Monday to play the Bulls with their playoff hopes in the balance.

["TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 30 Number of team assists ,has 30 Percentage of 3 points ,has 40 Percentage of field goals ,has 96 Losses ,has 17 Total points ,has 30 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 40 Points in 3rd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 17 Number of team assists ,has 17 Percentage of 3 points ,has 33 Percentage of field goals ,has 73 Losses ,has 21 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Brook Lopez') has 1 Blocks, has 8 Field goals attempted, has 3 Field goals made, has 7 Free throws attempted, has 6 Free throws made, has 31 Minutes played, has 12 Points, has 10 Total rebounds, has 1 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Deron Williams') has 7 Assists, has 11 Field goals attempted, has 1 Field goals made, has 33 Minutes played, has 4 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mason Plumlee') has 17 Minutes played, has 11 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jarrett Jack') has 24 Minutes played, has 11 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Giannis Antetokounmpo') has 7 Assists, has 14 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 30 Minutes played, has 13 Points, has 9 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Ersan Ilyasova') has 6 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 12 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 2 Free throws attempted, has 2 Free throws made, has 28 Minutes played, has 2 Personal fouls, has 21 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Khris Middleton') has 7 Assists, has 11 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 30 Minutes played, has 16 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Michael Carter-Williams') has 5 Assists, has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'O.J. Mayo') has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 13 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 20 Minutes played, has 17 Points"]

The San Antonio Spurs (52 - 26) continued their torrid stretch Tuesday with a 113 - 88 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder (42 - 36) at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. This game was nearly over before fans could settle into their seats as the Spurs jumped out to a 29 - 10 lead after one quarter. The rout was on from there as the Thunder failed to get into a rhythm on offense and simply could n't get stops to cut into the lead. Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook was held in check, finishing with 17 points, two rebounds, and two assists in 26 minutes before being rested for the fourth quarter. San Antonio has now won eight games in a row and are putting pressure on the teams ahead of it in the Western Conference playoff standings. San Antonio has beaten the likes of Golden State, Memphis, Dallas, and Oklahoma City (twice) during its current win streak. Kawhi Leonard led the charge for the Spurs, scoring 26 points in 24 minutes on the floor. The lone blemish for the Spurs in Tuesday's game was Tony Parker, who missed of the second half with tightness in his Achilles. The Spurs could have just been exercising caution with their veteran guard as they held a 26 - point lead at halftime and have another Game Wednesday against Houston. Oklahoma City once seemed to be a near lock for the eighth seed in the West, but a four - game slide has sent the Thunder tumbling out of the playoff standings. The Pelicans got the win Tuesday and are now in the driver's seat for the last playoff spot. Oklahoma City is at a disadvantage down the stretch because New Orleans holds the head - to - head tiebreaker over the Thunder. On the injury front, Andre Roberson returned to action after missing two and a half weeks with an ankle injury. He finished with five points and two steals in 18 minutes of action. The Thunder will look to snap their losing streak Friday when they host the Kings.

["TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 36 Losses ,has 88 Total points ,has 10 Points in 1st quarter ,has 42 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 26 Losses ,has 113 Total points ,has 29 Points in 1st quarter ,has 52 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Kawhi Leonard') has 24 Minutes played, has 26 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Russell Westbrook') has 2 Assists, has 26 Minutes played, has 17 Points, has 2 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andre Roberson') has 2 3-pointers attempted, has 2 Field goals made, has 18 Minutes played, has 2 Personal fouls, has 5 Points, has 2 Steals, has 2 Turnovers"]

The Denver Nuggets (27 - 44) ended their road trip on a high note Sunday with an easy 119 - 100 victory over the Orlando Magic (22 - 50) at the Amway Center. This game was close in the early going, but Denver broke it open with a 41 point outburst in the second quarter to take a 69 - 51 lead into halftime. Denver's Danilo Gallinari exploded for 40 points, including going 6 - for - 13 from beyond the arc as the Nuggets cruised to their 27th victory of the season. Orlando's Elfrid Payton had his triple - double streak halted at two games with a 6 point, eight rebound, and eight assist outing. With Sunday's win, Denver swept the season series over Orlando. Denver had lost three straight on its five game road trip, but was able to salvage a 2 - 3 mark on the swing with Sunday's convincing victory. Jameer Nelson was a question mark coming into this game as he was dealing with a hip injury, but was able to log 17 minutes on the floor and finish with 15 points and five assists against his former club. The Nuggets will return home to face the 76ers on Wednesday. Orlando came into this game on the heels of Friday's 111 - 104 victory over Portland that was arguably its best of the season. The Magic were unable to put together a good defensive effort and were blown out on their home court against a struggling Nuggets club. Andrew Nicholson was thrust into the starting lineup with Channing Frye sidelined and performed ably, finishing with 13 points and six rebounds. Tobias Harris missed his third straight game Sunday as he continues to deal with an ailing ankle, but he is close to a return. The Magic will have two days off before returning to action Wednesday against the Hawks.

["TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 50 Losses ,has 100 Total points ,has 22 Points in 2nd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 44 Losses ,has 119 Total points ,has 41 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 27 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Danilo Gallinari') has 2 Blocks, has 13 3-pointers attempted, has 6 3-pointers made, has 40 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jameer Nelson') has 5 Assists, has 17 Minutes played, has 15 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andrew Nicholson') has 13 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Elfrid Payton') has 8 Assists, has 6 Points, has 8 Total rebounds"]

The Detroit Pistons defeated the New York Knicks 102 - 89 at Palace of Auburn Hills on Monday. After starting the season with a rough loss, the Pistons (3 - 1) have now won three - straight games, all at home. The Knicks (1 - 2) offense was held down in this game, shooting just 41 percent from the field and 32 percent from three - point range. Detroit really turned it on late, as they held New York to just 10 points in the fourth quarter. In fact, New York failed to hit a single shot for the final 5:40 of the game. Carmelo Anthony was the leading scorer for the Knicks, scoring 24 points to go along with four steals. Derrick Rose was second on the team, with his 19 points and five rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis was the only other starter in double figures, tallying 18 points and six rebounds. Brandon Jennings provided 12 points of his own off the bench. All five starters scored at least nine points in the Pistons win, as they all played at least 31 minutes. Tobias Harris led the team with his 25 points and 10 rebounds on 8 - for - 12 shooting. Marcus Morris scored 22 points on 9 - for - 14 shooting. Ish Smith and Andre Drummond fell just shy of double - doubles, as Drummond totaled nine points and 13 rebounds, while Smith dropped 10 points and eight assists. New York has a quick turnaround, as they host the Houston Rockets on Wednesday for their next game. The Pistons will also play on Wednesday, as they travel to the Big Apple to play the Brooklyn Nets.

["TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 1 Percentage of 3 points ,has 102 Percentage of field goals ,has 3 Losses ." "TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 32 Percentage of 3 points ,has 41 Percentage of field goals ,has 2 Losses ,has 89 Total points ,has 24 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 10 Points in 4th quarter ,has 1 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Carmelo Anthony') has 24 Points, has 4 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kristaps Porzingis') has 18 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Derrick Rose') has 19 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Brandon Jennings') has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tobias Harris') has 12 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 25 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcus Morris') has 14 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 22 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andre Drummond') has 9 Points, has 13 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Ish Smith') has 8 Assists, has 10 Points"]

Following a week filled with trade rumors, Paul George came out of the All-Star break in fairly unimpressive fashion. In his first four games following the break, George shot a combined 16 - of - 54 (29 percent) from the field and was averaging just 14 points per game over that stretch. However, in his last two games, George has flipped the script entirely and rattled off a pair of incredible offensive performances. Following Monday's 36 - point performance in the Pacers' loss to the Hornets, George has now scored a combined 70 points over his last two games and did so while shooting a scorching 27 - of - 44 (61 percent) from the field and 12 - of - 23 (52 percent) from behind the arc. The performances from George on Sunday and Monday were by far his best back - to - back shooting and scoring performances of the season.

["PlayerStat(G, 'Paul George') has 4 Personal fouls, has 36 Points"]

Indiana made a big run in the second half to overcome a nine - point halftime deficit and defeat the Miami Heat by a score of 106 - 95 on Wednesday. The Heat seemed to be in control through the first two quarters but started to let the game slip away in the third. Indiana scored 15 unanswered points from late in the third until the early fourth, which put them ahead by 11 with 11 minutes to go. Chris Bosh hit a three - pointer to cut Indiana's lead to seven with 2:39 remaining, but Indiana answered with three - pointers from George Hill and C.J. Miles to solidify its lead and seal the game. Miami (14 - 19) got 18 points in 38 minutes from Bosh, who was playing in his second game back after missing time with a calf injury. Danny Granger had 14 points in his first game against his former team as a member of the Heat. Miami plays the Rockets in Houston on Saturday. Six of Miami's next seven games are on the road. Indiana (12 - 21) was aided by big performances from Hill and Miles, who scored 20 and 25 points respectively. Roy Hibbert turned in his first double - double since Dec. 13 by scoring 10 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. The Pacers travel to Milwaukee on Friday to play their first game of a four - game road trip.

["TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 21 Losses ,has 106 Total points ,has 20 Points in 1st quarter ,has 12 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 19 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 11 Points in 1st quarter ,has 14 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Chris Bosh') has 7 Field goals made, has 38 Minutes played, has 18 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Danny Granger') has 14 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Roy Hibbert') has 10 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'George Hill') has 7 Field goals made" "PlayerStat(G, 'CJ Miles') has 25 Points"]

The Cleveland Cavaliers (18 - 7) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (1 - 28) 108 - 86 on Sunday. The game marked the return of Kyrie Irving to the court for the first time since suffering a fractured kneecap in last season's NBA Finals. The 23 - year - old gave Cavs fans and management plenty of reason for optimism, as he tallied 12 points, four assists, a rebound and two steals over a highly productive 17 minutes. Irving drained a pair of three - pointers as part of that effort, and looked crisp overall in his first game action. While they are sure to manage his minutes carefully in the first few games, an already formidable Cavs squad now stands to greatly benefit from the talent infusion that the All-Star point guard provides. The Sixers were led by Nerlens Noel's 15 points, which he impressively supplemented with 12 rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. The power forward was the sole Philadelphia starter with double - digit scoring, as reserves T.J. McConnell and Jakarr Sampson were the only other teammates to join him in that distinction with a pair of 10 - point efforts. Rookie standout Jahlil Okafor struggled against the one of the stingiest defenses in the NBA versus opposing centers, netting only nine points and eight rebounds. Robert Covington and Isaiah Canaan each struggled through a pair of 2 for 9 shooting performances from the field, and the Sixers shot a forgettable 35 percent as a team. Philadelphia fell to 1 - 28 and sports the worst record in the NBA. They currently reside in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division, and head home to face the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday. The comfortable lead the Cavs held in the second half allowed them the luxury of sitting LeBron James for the entire fourth quarter. He filled out the stat sheet through three periods anyhow, collecting 23 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block over just 25 minutes. Kevin Love joined Irving and James in double - digit scoring with 10 points, and the Cavs power forward added four rebounds, an assist and a steal over a scant 22 minutes. Timofey Mozgov's eight - point, eight - rebound performance rounded out an efficient afternoon for the starters, and Matthew Delladedova was outstanding off the bench in relief of Irving with 20 points, two assists, two steals and two blocks. The Cavaliers improved to 18 - 7 and have a hold of first place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They remain home to face the Knicks on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 7 Losses ,has 108 Total points ,has 18 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 28 Losses ,has 86 Total points ,has 1 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Robert Covington') has 9 Field goals attempted, has 2 Field goals made" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nerlens Noel') has 1 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 15 Points, has 12 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jahlil Okafor') has 9 Points, has 8 Total rebounds, has 1 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Isaiah Canaan') has 9 Field goals attempted, has 2 Field goals made" "PlayerStat(G, 'JaKarr Sampson') has 10 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'LeBron James') has 4 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 3 Free throws made, has 25 Minutes played, has 23 Points, has 5 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kevin Love') has 1 Assists, has 22 Minutes played, has 10 Points, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Timofey Mozgov') has 8 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyrie Irving') has 4 Assists, has 2 3-pointers made, has 17 Minutes played, has 12 Points, has 1 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Matthew Dellavedova') has 2 Assists, has 2 Blocks, has 20 Points, has 2 Steals"]

The host Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, 120 - 116. For the Lakers (16 - 34), three players scored at least 20 points en route to the high - offense win. Most notably, sophomore point guard D'Angelo Russell had one of his better games of the season, scoring 22 and dishing out 10 assists with only two turnovers. Russell was just one of the bevvy of Lakers guards who had a strong showing on Tuesday. Veteran Nick Young drained five three - pointers and scored a team - high 23 points. Off the bench, sixth man Lou Williams scored another 21 for the Lakers while dishing another seven assists. The Lakers were the beneficiaries of a cold Denver team, as the Nuggets shot just 41 percent and looked frozen in the third quarter. Denver (21 - 25), meanwhile, had some key absences on Tuesday. Star center Nikola Jokic (hip) and point guard Emmanuel Mudiay (hamstring) both missed the contest. Jokic's absence meant no shortage of rebounds for forward Kenneth Faried, who gobbled up 17 boards to lead the team. Thanks in large part to Faried's effort, the Nuggets established a 51 - 44 advantage on the offensive glass. With Jokic out, however, the Nuggets saw some lackluster offense, particularly during stretches in the second half. The team shot only 41 percent, despite knocking down 15 - of - 27 from beyond the three - point line. Denver will host the Grizzlies on Wednesday, while the Lakers will visit Washington on Thurdsay.

["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 120 Percentage of field goals ." "TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 41 Percentage of field goals ,has 116 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Kenneth Faried') has 17 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nick Young') has 5 3-pointers made, has 23 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'D'Angelo Russell') has 10 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 1 Offensive rebounds, has 1 Personal fouls, has 22 Points, has 1 Steals, has 2 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Lou Williams') has 7 Assists, has 21 Points"]

The Detroit Pistons (16 - 25) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (8 - 32), 107 - 89. Since they waived Josh Smith, the Pistons are winners in 10 of their last 12 games and sit just outside the playoff bubble. The Sixers were without their leading scorer, Tony Wroten, for the third straight game due to a knee injury. Brandon Jennings followed up a 37 - point outing with 10 points and six assists in 22 minutes. The Pistons were led by D.J. Augustin in assists (10), Andre Drummond in rebounds (15) and blocks (3), Jodie Meeks in steals (6), and Kyle Singler in points (20). Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 17 points, knocking in three of the Pistons' 15 three - pointers. The Sixers shot 7 - of - 28 from behind the three - point line, not unusual for the only team shooting under 30 percent from downtown this season. Michael Carter-Williams scored a team - high 15 points, but it was Larry Drew II who led the Sixers with nine assists off the bench in just his second game this season. Henry Sims provided a double - double (12 points, 10 rebounds) off the bench in 17 minutes. The Piston travel to Atlanta to take on the East leading Hawks on Monday. The Sixers will battle the Wizards in Washington come Monday in an afternoon matchup.

["TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 25 Losses ,has 107 Total points ,has 25 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 16 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 32 Losses ,has 89 Total points ,has 16 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 8 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Michael Carter-Williams') has 15 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Henry Sims') has 17 Minutes played, has 12 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Larry Drew II') has 9 Assists" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyle Singler') has 6 3-pointers made, has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andre Drummond') has 3 Blocks, has 15 Field goals attempted, has 15 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kentavious Caldwell-Pope') has 3 Defensive rebounds, has 3 3-pointers made, has 17 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Brandon Jennings') has 6 Assists, has 22 Minutes played, has 10 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jodie Meeks') has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 6 Free throws made, has 15 Points, has 6 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'D.J. Augustin') has 10 Assists, has 3 Defensive rebounds, has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 6 Field goals attempted, has 3 Field goals made, has 6 Points, has 3 Total rebounds"]

The Washington Wizards (9 - 10) defeated the Miami Heat (12 - 7) 114 - 103 on Monday. It's been an up - and - down season for the Wizards, but they've now surprisingly handed two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference rare home losses. After having tripped up the Cavs at Quicken Loans Arena on Dec. 1, Washington pulled away from Miami in the final period Monday to hand the Heat only their fourth defeat at American Airlines Arena. Just as in their upset of Cleveland, the Wizards benefited from a stellar performance from their offensive linchpin John Wall, who managed 26 points, seven assists, a rebound and a steal, despite coming into the game nursing a sore knee. The visitors also got 21 points from Wall's backcourt mate Bradley Beal, who added four assists, three rebounds and a steal. Otto Porter pitched in with his third straight strong performance, tallying a 13 - point, 14 - rebound double - double. Jared Dudley contributed 12 points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal, an effort that included two three - pointers. Gary Neal (21 points) and Ramon Sessions (12 points) were highly efficient off the bench, with the former overcoming a groin injury to post his third consecutive double - digit scoring game. The Wizards improved to 9 - 10 but still reside in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head home for a showdown with the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. The Heat was unable to keep pace with Washington despite superb efforts from their backcourt duo of Goran Dragic and Dwyane Wade. Dragic, who's struggled to score the majority of the season, managed a season - high 20 points. It marked the third consecutive game with double - digit points for the eight - year veteran, who appears to be finding his way in Miami's offensive system. Meanwhile, Wade came within an assist of his first double - double on the season, totaling 26 points, nine dimes, seven rebounds and a steal. Chris Bosh was ejected with 28 seconds left for arguing with the officials, but pitched in with his own near double - double, amassing 18 points, nine rebounds, four assists, a pair of blocks and a steal. Hassan Whiteside's 14 points, four rebounds and three blocks and Gerald Green's nine points rounded out solid performances from the starters, while Josh McRoberts paced the Miami bench with nine points, a pair of rebounds, an assist and a steal. Miami fell to 12 - 7 but retains control of first place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division by a half - game. They travel to Charlotte for a showdown with the second - place Hornets on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 7 Losses ,has 103 Total points ,has 12 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 10 Losses ,has 114 Total points ,has 9 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Otto Porter') has 13 Points, has 14 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jared Dudley') has 1 Assists, has 2 3-pointers made, has 12 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Bradley Beal') has 4 Assists, has 21 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'John Wall') has 7 Assists, has 26 Points, has 1 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Gary Neal') has 21 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Ramon Sessions') has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Gerald Green') has 1 Assists, has 9 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Chris Bosh') has 4 Assists, has 2 Blocks, has 18 Points, has 9 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Hassan Whiteside') has 3 Blocks, has 14 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dwyane Wade') has 9 Assists, has 26 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Goran Dragic') has 9 Assists, has 20 Points, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Josh McRoberts') has 1 Assists, has 9 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals"]

The San Antonio Spurs defeated the host Cleveland Cavaliers in overtime, 118 - 115, at Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday. This was a game that was expected to be close throughout and these elite teams did n't disappoint in this overtime thriller. In fact, there were 13 ties and 15 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than 11 points. Free-throw shooting killed Cleveland, as they went 12 - of - 22 from the charity stripe, while the Spurs went 12 - of - 14. The assist - to - turnover ratio was decisive as well, with the Spurs recording 32 assists to 13 turnovers, while the Cavaliers committed 18 turnovers to just 25 assists. The Spurs (34 - 9) are now 18 - 4 on the road, as they continue their quiet success. Kawhi Leonard got to six - straight games with at least 30 points, as he set a career - high with 41 points in this win. He also added six rebounds and five assists on 14 - of - 29 from the field. LaMarcus Aldridge was second on the team, accruing 16 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. David Lee started for Pau Gasol and recorded a 14 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Patty Mills was a nice spark off the bench, providing 13 points, three rebounds and five assists. The Cavaliers (30 - 12) have now lost four of their last six, with this being the toughest loss in the bunch. LeBron James did contribute 29 points, six rebounds and seven assists, but he committed seven turnovers in the defeat. Kyrie Irving also had 29 points, adding three rebounds, nine assists and two steals to his tally. Kevin Love returned from a one - game absence to total 13 points, 11 rebounds and three assists. Tristan Thompson also record a double - double, amassing 14 points and 12 rebounds.

["TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 25 Number of team assists ,has 12 Losses ,has 115 Total points ,has 18 Turnovers ,has 30 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 32 Number of team assists ,has 9 Losses ,has 118 Total points ,has 13 Turnovers ,has 34 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Kawhi Leonard') has 5 Assists, has 6 Defensive rebounds, has 41 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 6 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'LaMarcus Aldridge') has 6 Assists, has 16 Points, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'David Lee') has 14 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Patty Mills') has 5 Assists, has 13 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'LeBron James') has 7 Assists, has 29 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals, has 7 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kevin Love') has 3 Assists, has 1 Offensive rebounds, has 13 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tristan Thompson') has 14 Points, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyrie Irving') has 9 Assists, has 29 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals"]

The Cleveland Cavaliers (8 - 1) snuck away with a victory against the New York Knicks (4 - 6) after a hard fought battle at the Garden, with a final score of 90 - 84. This was the eighth win in a row for the Cavs, after losing their season opener. New York held the lead going into the fourth quarter and it was only with two minutes left that the Cavs managed to tie it up. LeBron led the way in the Cavs' late rally and Mo Williams sealed the deal with four clutch free throws. New York had a good game but could not come up clutch in crunch time to secure the lead. Carmelo Anthony did his best impression of himself, scoring 26 points on 9 - 20 shooting, including 4 - 8 from deep. Carmelo also added five rebounds and four assists. Kristaps Prozingis remained consistent and finished with 11 points and seven rebounds on 5 - 11 shooting, including some sweet post work against the Cavs interior. Arron Afflalo put in some good work in his second start for the Knicks, scoring 14 points, three rebounds and four assists. Jose Calderon was steady at the point guard position with 10 points on 4 - 5 shooting, 2 - 2 from deep, two rebounds, two asssits and three steals. LeBron James did everything to ensure his team came out with the W on Friday night as he led the way for the Cavs with 31 points on 12 - 21 shooting, six assists, three rebounds, two steals and one block. James had help from his old partner - in - crime, Mo Williams, who chipped in 20 points on 7 - 13 shooting. Kevin Love was quiet offensively but along with his seven points, grabbed 11 rebounds, two assists and one steal. Timofey Mozgov went 4 - 5 from the field, totalling 11 points, along with seven rebounds, in 26 minutes. Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert were still missing from the line - up and one can only imagine how much they will add to this team when they return. There will be no rest for the Cavs as they head to Milwaukee for a Saturday evening game, where they will look to continue their winning ways against the feisty Bucks. New York will be Hosting New Orleans on Sunday and will have to stay focused to get the win against the struggling Pelicans

["TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 6 Losses ,has 84 Total points ,has 4 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 1 Losses ,has 90 Total points ,has 8 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'LeBron James') has 6 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 4 Personal fouls, has 31 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kevin Love') has 2 Assists, has 7 Points, has 11 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Timofey Mozgov') has 11 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mo Williams') has 4 Free throws attempted, has 4 Free throws made, has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Carmelo Anthony') has 4 Assists, has 26 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kristaps Porzingis') has 11 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Arron Afflalo') has 4 Assists, has 14 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jose Calderon') has 2 Assists, has 2 Defensive rebounds, has 2 3-pointers attempted, has 2 3-pointers made, has 10 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals"]

The Portland Trail Blazers (22 - 6) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (13 - 13) 114 - 88 on Saturday. Portland extended their win streak to five games with the victory. Nicolas Batum (wrist/knee) returned to the starting lineup after sitting out the team's last game. He played a team - high 30 minutes, illustrating that he appears to be healthy enough to continue playing going forward. Portland shot 53 percent from the field and held the Pelicans to 35 percent shooting from the field. The Trail Blazers will continue their road trip in Houston against the Rockets on Monday. New Orleans saw their two - game win streak come to an end with the loss. Nearly all of the Pelicans' key players struggled to finish on offense. MVP candidate Anthony Davis shot just 3 - of - 14 from the field to post seven points. While the production came in garbage time, Austin Rivers took advantage of his extra minutes and attacked the wrack, earning 12 trips to the foul line and converting 11 of them to help him finish with 21 points in 33 minutes off the bench. Tyreke Evans (knee) returned from a one - game absence but was largely ineffective in 23 minutes. The Pelicans will go on the road for the second game of a back - to - back set on Sunday, facing the Oklahoma City Thunder.

["TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 35 Percentage of field goals ,has 13 Losses ,has 88 Total points ,has 13 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 53 Percentage of field goals ,has 6 Losses ,has 114 Total points ,has 22 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Nicolas Batum') has 30 Minutes played" "PlayerStat(G, 'Anthony Davis') has 14 Field goals attempted, has 3 Field goals made, has 7 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tyreke Evans') has 23 Minutes played, has 1 Personal fouls, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Austin Rivers') has 12 Free throws attempted, has 11 Free throws made, has 33 Minutes played, has 21 Points"]

The Denver Nuggets (9 - 14) made a huge comeback to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves (9 - 13) 111 - 108 in an overtime thriller. Denver trailed by 15 at the half and by 18 at times in the third quarter, but got the game to overtime and pulled off a big win. All the statistics were incredibly even, as both teams shot 44 percent from the field with both teams recording 21 assists. The benches were the difference though, as Denver's bench outscored Minnesota’s bench 52 - 35. Minnesota is one of the best road teams in the NBA, but they choked away a big lead here. The defense was the downfall, as they allowed 70 points after the halftime buzzer. One positive here was that Kevin Garnett broke an all - time record for most defensive rebounds early in the first quarter. Andrew Wiggins and Kevin Martin both led the team with 22 points scored and Karl-Anthony Towns nearly got a double - double with 14 points and nine boards. The Timberwolves will look to bounce - back in their next game when they take on the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. Denver came into this game 8 - 3 when scoring 100 points, so when it was 100 - 100 going into OT, a win never seemed in doubt. Danilo Gallinari was the hero though, as he scored the final nine points in overtime to carry Denver to a win. Gallinari totaled 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the win. Emmanuel Mudiay left this game early due to an ankle injury, but the team played better without him. Jameer Nelson filled - in spectacularly for Mudiay, as he tallied 20 points, seven assists and six rebounds off the bench. This broke a five - game home losing streak for Denver and they'll look to start a winning - streak at home when they host the Houston Rockets on Monday in their next game.

["TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 14 Losses ,has 111 Total points ,has 18 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 9 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 13 Losses ,has 108 Total points ,has 9 Points in 2nd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Andrew Wiggins') has 22 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Karl-Anthony Towns') has 14 Points, has 9 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kevin Martin') has 22 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Danilo Gallinari') has 4 Assists, has 23 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jameer Nelson') has 7 Assists, has 20 Points, has 6 Total rebounds"]

This scoreline looks lopsided and for the majority of this game, that's just how it was. The Bulls captured their one and only lead in the third quarter, but the Spurs responded with a 120 run to take a double - digit lead and eventually run away with an easy win. San Antonio got off to an amazing start, as they hit 12 of their first 13 shots to take a 20 - point lead in the first quarter. For the game, San Antonio shot 57 from the field and 50 percent from three - point range. Dwyane Wade did all he could to keep the Bulls hanging around, as he tallied 24 points, three rebounds and six assists in the defeat. LaMarcus Aldridge was the player of the game, as he led the Spurs with 33 points on 15 - of - 20 shooting. Kawhi Leonard was just as good, as he collected 25 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals.

["TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 50 Percentage of 3 points ,has 13 Points in 4th quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 24 Percentage of 3 points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Dwyane Wade') has 6 Assists, has 24 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kawhi Leonard') has 25 Points, has 10 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'LaMarcus Aldridge') has 20 Field goals attempted, has 15 Field goals made, has 33 Points"]

The Denver Nuggets (29 - 49) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (20 - 58) 119 - 101 on Wednesday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. Both teams came into this game riding their own four - game losing streak, but it was the Nuggets who were able to break the steak, grabbing the 18 - point victory in front of their home crowd. The Nuggets were the superior shooters in this one, going 50 percent from the field and 43 percent from the three - point line, while the Lakers finished at 48 percent from the floor and 31 percent from deep. Along with the shooting advantage, the Nuggets also forced the Lakers into 15 turnovers, while committing just nine of their own. The Nuggets' frontcourt were dominant in the winning effort. Kenneth Faried was moved to the starter at center, and he took advantage of the move, going off for a game - high of 29 points (10 - 14 FG, 9 - 9 FT), while also adding 11 rebounds and two blocked shots. This marked Faried's second double - double in a row, a stretch where he's combined for 39 points and 25 rebounds. Faried received a big help from Danilo Gallinari as well. Gallinari went 9 - for - 19 from the field and 7 - for - 14 from the three - point line to score 27 points, to go along with seven rebounds and two blocked shots. He's also put in two impressive games in a row, as he's combined for 47 points and 10 rebounds during that span. He's now averaging 11 points and 4 rebounds on the season. Ty Lawson Played a factor in the win as well though, as his shot looked to be dialed in. In 39 minutes, he finished with 16 points (7 - 13 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT) and eight assists. Lawson missed Saturday's game with a forearm injury, but it did n't look to affect him in his return to the court. Randy Foye reached double figures as well, posting 12 points (4 - 6 3Pt) and seven assists in 27 minutes. With injuries taking its toll on this roster, the Lakers ended up playing just eight players in the loss. Rookie Jordan Clarkson led the way with 21 points (7 - 18 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), nine assists and two steals. While he's only averaging 11 points and 3 assists on the season, he's combined for 41 points and 15 assists over his last two outings. He's also posted 20 or more points in four of his last six games. Ryan Kelly also got hot from the field, scoring 17 points, while shooting 6 - of - 8 from the floor and 2 - of - 3 from deep. After shooting just 18 percent (3 - 17 FG) from the field in Tuesday's game against the Clippers, it was good to see Kelly get back on track with a solid showing. The Lakers saw some big contributions off the bench though as well. Ed Davis finished with 15 points (6 - 9 FG, 3 - 8 FT) and 12 rebounds over 31 minutes, while Dwight Buycks added 15 points (5 - 8 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT) and five rebounds of his own. The Nuggets' next game will be at home against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, while the Lakers will be at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 43 Percentage of 3 points ,has 50 Percentage of field goals ,has 49 Losses ,has 119 Total points ,has 9 Turnovers ,has 29 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 31 Percentage of 3 points ,has 48 Percentage of field goals ,has 58 Losses ,has 101 Total points ,has 20 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Ryan Kelly') has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 2 3-pointers made, has 8 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 17 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jordan Clarkson') has 9 Assists, has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 0 3-pointers made, has 18 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 7 Free throws attempted, has 7 Free throws made, has 4 Personal fouls, has 21 Points, has 2 Steals, has 4 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Ed Davis') has 9 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 8 Free throws attempted, has 3 Free throws made, has 31 Minutes played, has 15 Points, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dwight Buycks') has 2 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 8 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 5 Free throws attempted, has 4 Free throws made, has 15 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Danilo Gallinari') has 2 Blocks, has 14 3-pointers attempted, has 7 3-pointers made, has 19 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 2 Free throws made, has 27 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 2 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kenneth Faried') has 2 Blocks, has 14 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 9 Free throws attempted, has 9 Free throws made, has 29 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Randy Foye') has 7 Assists, has 6 3-pointers attempted, has 4 3-pointers made, has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Ty Lawson') has 8 Assists, has 2 3-pointers attempted, has 0 3-pointers made, has 13 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 3 Free throws attempted, has 2 Free throws made, has 39 Minutes played, has 16 Points"]

The New Orleans Pelicans (10) defeated the Orlando Magic (0 - 1) in convincing fashion 101 - 84 at the Smoothie King Center Tuesday in New Orleans. Anthony Davis took the reins for the Pelicans and came one block shy of posting the first triple - double of the season. In 36 minutes of game action, Davis finished with 26 points (10 - 22 FG), 17 rebounds, two assists, three steals, and nine blocks. To go along with Davis’ huge day, Ryan Anderson played extremely well off the bench scoring 22 points and adding nine rebounds. Omer Asik got his first double - double of the season, scoring 14 points and pulling in 17 rebounds. The Magic struggled due to injuries that kept a large portion of their lineup out of the game. Victor Oladipo is expected to miss most of the first month of the season recovering from surgery to fix a facial fracture, and Channing Frye was unavailable as he continues to work his way back from an MCL sprain in his knee. Frye was a game - time decision Tuesday, meaning he is likely to return to action soon. Lottery pick Elfrid Payton had a somewhat of a disappointing regular season debut, as he only scored four points. On a positive note, he did have seven assists and only two turnovers. Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic were the two bright spots for the Magic. Harris finished with 25 points and eight boards, while Vucevic ended with 15 points and 23 rebounds. The Magic’s other lottery pick, Aaron Gordon finished with 11 points (5 - 8 FG) in 28 minutes off the bench. The Magic's next game comes against the Washington Wizards at home Thursday, while the Pelicans will take on the Dallas Mavericks at home Saturday.

["TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 101 Losses ." "TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 1 Losses ,has 84 Total points ,has 0 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Tobias Harris') has 2 3-pointers attempted, has 2 Offensive rebounds, has 2 Personal fouls, has 25 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Vucevic') has 2 Free throws attempted, has 2 Personal fouls, has 15 Points, has 23 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Elfrid Payton') has 7 Assists, has 4 Points, has 2 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Aaron Gordon') has 8 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 28 Minutes played, has 11 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Anthony Davis') has 2 Assists, has 9 Blocks, has 22 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 36 Minutes played, has 26 Points, has 17 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Omer Asik') has 14 Points, has 17 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Ryan Anderson') has 22 Points, has 9 Total rebounds"]

The Indiana Pacers (14 - 9) defeated the Toronto Raptors (16 - 10) 106 - 90 on Monday. The first quarter was one of extreme swings for both teams. Toronto opened the game on an eye - popping 26 - 5 run during which linchpins Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan tallied 10 and nine points, respectively. The resilient Pacers then came back with a jaw - dropping 220 response, consisting of contributions from Jordan Hill, Rodney Stuckey, Paul George and Monta Ellis. From that point forward, Indiana outscored Toronto 79 - 64, while absolutely dominating down low. The Pacers managed 48 points in the paint for the game, as compared to only 20 by the Raptors. The vistors received a pair of 20 - point efforts from the backcourt duo of Lowry and DeRozan, although each played their best ball in the frenetic opening period. Terrence Ross was the only other starter with double - digit scoring (10), and Bismack Biyombo was only one point short of a double - double. He also pitched in 13 rebounds, his second game with as many boards in the last five contests. Patrick Patterson paced the Toronto bench with nine points, five rebounds and a steal. The Raptors fell to 16 - 10 but remain in first place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head to Charlotte to face off against the Hornets on Thursday. For a change, the Pacers had a top scorer not named Paul George. While the All-Star small forward had a solid performance with 16 points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal, it was offseason acquisition and reserve Jordan Hill who spearheaded the offensive attack Monday. The veteran center equaled his season high with 20 points, while hauling in a season - best 13 boards over 31 minutes. A big man who's always been known more for his offensive prowess, Hill has now managed five double - digit scoring efforts in seven December games. C. J. Miles (17 points) and Ellis (18 points) joined George as the other starters with double - digit points, while Stuckey checked in as the other notable scorer off the bench (10 points). The Pacers improved to 14 - 9 and remain in third place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They are home for a showdown with the Mavericks on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 9 Number of team assists ,has 106 Losses ,has 14 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 10 Number of team assists ,has 10 Losses ,has 90 Total points ,has 16 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Terrence Ross') has 10 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Bismack Biyombo') has 5 Offensive rebounds, has 13 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMar DeRozan') has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyle Lowry') has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Patrick Patterson') has 9 Points, has 5 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'CJ Miles') has 17 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Monta Ellis') has 18 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rodney Stuckey') has 10 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jordan Hill') has 5 Free throws attempted, has 31 Minutes played, has 20 Points, has 13 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals"]

The Dallas Mavericks defeated the host Los Angles Lakers 109 - 97 at Staples Center on Tuesday. In a game that was tight throughout, the veteran Mavericks team prevailed in the final minutes. Dallas actually finished the game on a 20 - 6 run over the final eight minutes, as Los Angles seemingly could n't make a shot. The Mavericks won nearly every statistic, as they led in shooting, assisting, steals, blocks and turnovers. The most notable margin was the shooting, as the Mavericks shot 52 percent from the field and 87 percent from the free - throw line. Dallas (2 - 5) have gotten off to a rough start this season with some injury troubles, but were able to pull out a big road win here. Dirk Nowitzki and Deron Williams are both dealing with injuries, so J.J. Barea and Harrison Barnes have really stepped up in their absence. Barea flirted with a triple - double in this win, totaling 18 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Barnes led the team in scoring, dropping 31 points on 11 - of - 18 shooting. Justin Anderson, Dwight Powell and Seth Curry were the only three players to come off the bench, as they each provided at least 10 points and four rebounds. Curry was especially good, amassing 23 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals. Dallas has a tough task ahead of them though, as they travel to play the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday for their next game. The Lakers (4 - 4) were undefeated in their home building coming into this, but folded late in the fourth quarter. Jordan Clarkson led the team in scoring, as he totaled 22 points and three steals off the bench. Nick Young led all starters, as he dropped 20 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting. Julius Randle recorded a double - double, tallying 15 points and 10 rebounds. D'Angelo Russell too just nine shots in the defeat, but still finished with 12 points, five rebounds and seven assists. Los Angeles will make a small traveling trip for their next game, as they play the Sacramento Kings on Thursday.

["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 4 Percentage of field goals ,has 97 Losses ,has 4 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 52 Percentage of field goals ,has 5 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 2 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Harrison Barnes') has 18 Field goals attempted, has 11 Field goals made, has 31 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'J.J. Barea') has 8 Assists, has 18 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dwight Powell') has 3 Defensive rebounds, has 10 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Seth Curry') has 4 Assists, has 3 Defensive rebounds, has 23 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Justin Anderson') has 3 Defensive rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Julius Randle') has 15 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nick Young') has 12 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'D'Angelo Russell') has 7 Assists, has 9 Field goals attempted, has 12 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jordan Clarkson') has 22 Points, has 3 Steals"]

The Indiana Pacers defeated the New York Knicks, 123 - 109, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Saturday. The Knicks (17 - 19) were playing on the second game of a back - to - back Saturday, and accordingly, looked sluggish in trying to defend a relentless and balanced attack by the Pacers (19 - 18). Indiana opened the game with a strong 33 - point first quarter, and then proceeded to outscore their visitors by a dominating 29 - 14 margin in the second. That gave them the cushion they'd need to tally their 14th home victory in 19 games this season. The Pacers saw four of their five starters notch double digits in the scoring column and posted 50 and 46 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. New York was led by a pair of 17 - point efforts from Carmelo Anthony and Justin Holiday. Anthony added five assists and two rebounds, while Holiday dished out four assists and brought down three boards. Kristaps Porzingis went for 16 points, four rebounds, three assists, four blocks and a steal. Derrick Rose, who'd endured a tough shooting night against the Bucks on Friday, bounced back with 14 points, three assists, two rebounds and two steals. Courtney Lee chimed in with nine points, while the emerging Mindauguas Kuzminskas supplied 13 points in just 15 minutes off the bench. Jeff Teague and Paul George set the pace for the Pacers with matching 19 - point tallies, with the former complementing his scoring with eight assists, four rebounds and a steal and the latter also providing four assists, three rebounds and three steals. Thaddeus Young registered a near double - double with 16 points, nine rebounds, two assists and four steals, while Myles Turner posted a 13 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included a pair of assists. C.J. Miles (15 points, four rebounds, two steals) and Al Jefferson (14 points, seven rebounds, two assists and a steal) were highly productive in reserve roles. The Knicks return home to face off with the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night, and the Pacers are off until a Thursday home date versus the Denver Nuggets.

["TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 46 Percentage of 3 points ,has 50 Percentage of field goals ,has 123 Total points ,has 33 Points in 1st quarter ,has 29 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 19 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 46 Percentage of 3 points ,has 109 Percentage of field goals ,has 14 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Carmelo Anthony') has 5 Assists, has 17 Points, has 2 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kristaps Porzingis') has 3 Assists, has 4 Blocks, has 16 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Courtney Lee') has 9 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Derrick Rose') has 3 Assists, has 14 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mindaugas Kuzminskas') has 15 Minutes played, has 13 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Paul George') has 4 Assists, has 19 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Thaddeus Young') has 2 Assists, has 16 Points, has 9 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Myles Turner') has 2 Assists, has 13 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jeff Teague') has 8 Assists, has 19 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Al Jefferson') has 2 Assists, has 14 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'CJ Miles') has 15 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals"]

The Dallas Mavericks (3 - 1) defeated the Boston Celtics (1 - 2) 118 - 113 on Monday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Despite being out - rebounded 49 to 36 in this matchup, the Mavericks were able to shoot 56 percent from behind the three - point line in a relatively close cross - conference game. Jeff Green and Avery Bradley shouldered the offensive load for the Celtics with both players combining to shoot a total of 50 shots. Green went 14 - for - 28 from the field and 5 - for - 12 from three - point land to score 35 points. Bradley shot 13 - for - 22 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from beyond the arc to score 32 points. With Green and Bradley launching shots, Rajon Rondo got plenty of assists, notching 15 in 36 minutes. Rookie Marcus Smart received 24 minutes off the bench, and he scored seven points and added six rebounds. Starting at power forward, Jared Sullinger went 6 - for - 15 from the field to contribute 14 points while also pulling down seven rebounds. Chandler Parsons eclipsed the 20 - point mark for the third straight game, finishing with 29 points while shooting 10 - for - 15 from the field and 4 - for - 5 from beyond the arc. Dirk Nowitzki shot 9 - for - 14 from the field and 4 - for - 4 from three - point, contributing 27 points of his own. Starting at center, Tyson Chandler had his first double - double of the season, posting 10 points and 12 rebounds. In 34 minutes, Monta Ellis finished with 14 points and six assists. Al-Farouq Aminu had to leave the game with an apparent left knee injury after playing only nine minutes. The severity of the injury is still unknown. The Celtics' next game will be at home against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, while the Mavericks will travel to Portland to play the Trail Blazers on Thursday.

["TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 56 Percentage of 3 points ,has 1 Losses ,has 118 Total points ,has 36 Rebounds ,has 3 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 2 Percentage of 3 points ,has 113 Losses ,has 1 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Jeff Green') has 12 3-pointers attempted, has 5 3-pointers made, has 28 Field goals attempted, has 14 Field goals made, has 50 Field goal percentage, has 35 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jared Sullinger') has 15 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 14 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Avery Bradley') has 6 3-pointers attempted, has 4 3-pointers made, has 22 Field goals attempted, has 13 Field goals made, has 32 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rajon Rondo') has 15 Assists, has 7 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcus Smart') has 7 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Chandler Parsons') has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 4 3-pointers made, has 15 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 29 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dirk Nowitzki') has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 4 3-pointers made, has 14 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 27 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tyson Chandler') has 10 Points, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Monta Ellis') has 6 Assists, has 14 Points"]

The Golden State Warriors (90) handled the Memphis Grizzlies (3 - 6) yet again in a 100 - 84 victory on Wednesday. After a 50 - point loss just nine days ago, the Grizzlies put in another poor performance against the Warriors on Wednesdaym as they lost by 17. It all started with a 26 - 15 first quarter and the Warriors did'nt look back after that. The Golden State defense absolutely stifled Memphis in this game, as the Grizzlies shot just 34 percent, while shooting just 3 - of - 15 from three - point range. The Warriors have one of the best defenses in the NBA and the Grizzlies have one of the worst offenses, so this was simply a mismatch of epic proportions. The Warriors were once again led by MVP Steph Curry, as he recorded 28 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals in the victory. Golden State also got another nice performance from Harrison Barnes, who tallied 19 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals. This is such a scary team right now, considering Klay Thompson has been struggling and the Warriors have been playing without their head coach Steve Kerr. The sky is the limit for this young team and after winning the title last season, it's a nightmare for the rest of the league that they are possibly better this year. They'll look to stay undefeated against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday in the second half of a back - to - back. The Grizzlies offense continues to be putrid, as they nearly matched their turnover total (21) with the amount of baskets they made (24) in this game. This team thrives on its defense and this is now the fifth game they have allowed at least 100 points so far this season. If they ca n't hold teams under 100 points with the offense they have, they simply ca n't win enough games to compete in the Western Conference. One bright spot in the loss has to be center Marc Gasol, who scored a season - high 26 points while grabbing seven boards in the defeat. The Grizzlies also made 33 - of - 36 free - throws in the loss, which is an impressive feat in its own right. Memphis will be happy not to face the Warriors for a while, as they'll host the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday in their next scheduled matchup.

["TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 34 Percentage of field goals ,has 6 Losses ,has 84 Total points ,has 15 Points in 1st quarter ,has 21 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 21 Points in 4th quarter ,has 3 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Warriors') has 100 Percentage of field goals ,has 26 Losses ,has 21 Total points ,has 9 Points in 1st quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Harrison Barnes') has 3 Assists, has 19 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Stephen Curry') has 5 Assists, has 28 Points, has 5 Total rebounds, has 5 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marc Gasol') has 26 Points, has 7 Total rebounds"]

The Portland Trail Blazers (3 - 2) defeated the Utah Jazz (2 - 2) on Wednesday by a score of 108 - 92 at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City. The Trail Blazers, as they have been all season, were led by their backcourt of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, who combined for 62 of the team's 108 points. Lillard led the way, scoring 35 points (14 - 27 FG, 5 - 11 3Pt) on top of four rebounds and three assists in 40 minutes. McCollum added 27 points on an efficient 10 - of - 13 shooting from the field in 35 minutes. Mason Plumlee recorded his first double - double of the season, recording 12 points and a game - high 16 rebounds in 35 minutes, while Maurice Harkless (15) and Al-Farouq Aminu (13) rounded out the five Portland players who scored in double figures. The Jazz’s offensive was abysmal Wednesday, as the team shot 38 percent from the field and hit on just 21 percent of their attempts from behind the arc. Alec Burks still managed to stay effective coming off the bench, finishing with a team - high 21 points (5 - 13 FG, 11 - 15 FT) in 32 minutes. While Gordon Hayward’s shooting struggles continued Wednesday (he went 7 - of - 20 from the field), he still managed a season - high 19 points. Derrick Favors, who was questionable heading into the game due to a case of the flu, grabbed 10 rebounds, but only managed six points in 25 minutes. Trey Burke had his best outing of the season, scoring 17 points in 26 minutes off the bench. Up next, the Trail Blazers will head home Thursday to take on Memphis, while the Jazz will head to Denver to go up against the Nuggets.

["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 2 Losses ,has 92 Total points ,has 2 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 2 Losses ,has 108 Total points ,has 3 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Al-Farouq Aminu') has 5 Field goals made, has 5 Free throws attempted, has 13 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mason Plumlee') has 13 Defensive rebounds, has 5 Field goals made, has 35 Minutes played, has 12 Points, has 16 Total rebounds, has 5 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'CJ McCollum') has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 13 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 35 Minutes played, has 27 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Damian Lillard') has 3 Assists, has 11 3-pointers attempted, has 5 3-pointers made, has 27 Field goals attempted, has 14 Field goals made, has 40 Minutes played, has 35 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Maurice Harkless') has 5 Defensive rebounds, has 5 Field goals made, has 5 Offensive rebounds, has 15 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Gordon Hayward') has 20 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 19 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Derrick Favors') has 25 Minutes played, has 6 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Trey Burke') has 26 Minutes played, has 17 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Alec Burks') has 13 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 15 Free throws attempted, has 11 Free throws made, has 32 Minutes played, has 21 Points"]

The Portland Trail Blazers climbed back into the Western Conference first - round playoffs against the visiting Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday with a 96 - 88 win in Game 3 at Moda Center. The Clippers lead the series, 2 - 1. The Portland backcourt was partially the reason for the dropped two games against the Clippers in Los Angeles, but Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum were lights out in the first of two home games for the Blazers. The duo combined for 59 points 21 - of - 42 shooting, while Mason Plumlee was dominant on the glass to the tune of 21 rebounds. Outside of Lillard and McCollum, the Blazers did not need too much offense after shutting down most of the Clippers prowess on the other end of the court. Chris Paul boasted his leadership and skillset as a floor general on the road, but remained the one Clippers player to be composed in the contest. Lillards finished with 32 points, to go with five rebounds and two assists and added three buckets from behind the arc to stave off Los Angeles down the stretch. As for the Clippers, Paul finished with 26 points, three rebounds and nine assists on 10 - of - 21 shooting. Jamal Crawford added some needed offense off the bench, and contributed 19 points on 9 - of - 18 shooting, but DeAndre Jordan was not able to get enough looks under the rim to be the presence that can prove to be the difference maker in Clippers wins. Jordan finished with 11 points, but added 16 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end of the floor. Los Angeles shot just 57 percent from the charity stripe, which fell roughly 15 percent below the Portland mark. Game 4 will take place at Moda Center on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 2 Losses ,has 96 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Clippers') has 1 Losses ,has 88 Total points ,has 19 Points in 1st quarter ,has 2 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'DeAndre Jordan') has 7 Field goals attempted, has 7 Offensive rebounds, has 11 Points, has 16 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Chris Paul') has 9 Assists, has 21 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 1 Offensive rebounds, has 26 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jamal Crawford') has 18 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 19 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mason Plumlee') has 21 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'CJ McCollum') has 2 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 2 3-pointers made, has 2 Offensive rebounds, has 1 Steals, has 2 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Damian Lillard') has 2 Assists, has 2 Offensive rebounds"]

The Grizzlies moved to 60 on Friday, surviving a late run to knock off the depleted Thunder (1 - 5) 91 - 89. Oklahoma City, which got 12 fourth - quarter points from Reggie Jackson, dropped its third straight since losing Russell Westbrook (knee), in addition to Kevin Durant (leg), who has not played this season. The Thunder traded baskets with Memphis throughout the fourth quarter but did not lead until the final minute, when a Jackson three - pointe put the home team ahead 89 - 87. Mike Conley answered with a three of his own not the other end, putting the Grizzlies back up one with 38 seconds to play. With a chance to re - take the lead, Nick Collison failed to inbound the ball, drawing a five - second violation. Courtney Lee, who was fouled on the other end, made 1 - of - 2 attempts, leaving the Thunder with one final chance to win. Down by two, Serge Ibaka misfired on a three - pointer from the top of the key as time expired. Jackson’s 22 points, seven rebounds and eight assists led the way for the Thunder, who shot nearly 47 percent from the field. Ibaka chipped in 16 points, while Jeremy Lamb added 17. Steven Adams chipped in 13 points and 11 rebounds. Memphis got 20 points and five assists from Conley and 17 points from Courtney Lee, who made all three of his attempts from beyond the arc. Marc Gasol and a quiet night, putting up eight points (4 - 11 FG) and nine boards in 41 minutes. The Grizzlies committed only eight turnovers, compared to 17 for Oklahoma City. Looking ahead, the Grizzlies head east to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks on Saturday evening. Oklahoma City remains home to host the Kings on Sunday.

["TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 47 Percentage of field goals ,has 5 Losses ,has 89 Total points ,has 22 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 17 Rebounds ,has 1 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 91 Percentage of field goals ,has 17 Losses ,has 38 Total points ,has 8 Points in 3rd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Marc Gasol') has 11 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made, has 41 Minutes played, has 8 Points, has 9 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Courtney Lee') has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 1 Offensive rebounds, has 1 Personal fouls, has 17 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mike Conley') has 5 Assists, has 3 3-pointers made, has 3 Free throws made, has 1 Offensive rebounds, has 1 Personal fouls, has 20 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Serge Ibaka') has 16 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Steven Adams') has 3 Personal fouls, has 13 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jeremy Lamb') has 17 3-pointer percentage, has 17 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Reggie Jackson') has 1 Free throws attempted, has 1 Offensive rebounds, has 1 Personal fouls, has 1 Steals, has 3 Turnovers"]

Anthony Davis picked up the workload with superstar DeMarcus Cousins on the bench nursing an ankle injury, as the Nuggets were unable to find efficient shots and the Pelicans bench ran away with the game late. Davis finished with 31 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and one block on 12 - of - 17 shooting. Jrue Holiday added 13 points, six rebounds and seven assists and buried 3 - of - 6 shots from behind the arc. E'Twaun Moore and Jordan Crawford were strong in their 27 minutes and 24 minutes, respectively, and combined for 25 points and nine assists. Nikola Jokic finished with eight points, 13 rebounds and two assists on 4 - of - 14 shooting across 18 minutes. Mason Plumlee had the hot hand off the bench where he scored 16 points on 8 - of - 10 shooting, while Denver shot just 38 percent from the field in the loss.

["TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 38 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Anthony Davis') has 3 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 17 Field goals attempted, has 12 Field goals made, has 31 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jrue Holiday') has 7 Assists, has 6 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 13 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'E'Twaun Moore') has 27 Minutes played" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jordan Crawford') has 24 Minutes played" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Jokic') has 2 Assists, has 14 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made, has 18 Minutes played, has 8 Points, has 13 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mason Plumlee') has 10 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 16 Points"]

Detroit shot a superb 57 percent from the field but Miami countered by going 53 percent from the floor and 50 percent from three - point range. Four Heat players drained multiple threes, and seven players shot 50 percent or better. The Heat pulled away with a 26 - point fourth quarter after entering the final period trailing 91 - 90. Reggie Jackson's 24 points paced Detroit. Andre Drummond posted a 17 - point, 20 - rebound double - double. Tobias Harris supplied a bench - leading 16 points, while Marcus Morris provided 14. Jon Leuer and Ish Smith registered matching eight - point efforts. Goran Dragic's 23 points led the Heat. Wayne Ellington paced the bench with 19 points, and James Johnson continued his strong play with 18 points, eight boards, five assists, two steals and a block. Dion Waiters tallied 17 points, and Hassan Whiteside hauled in 12 boards.

["TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 50 Percentage of 3 points ,has 53 Percentage of field goals ,has 26 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 26 Points in 4th quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcus Morris') has 14 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jon Leuer') has 8 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andre Drummond') has 17 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Reggie Jackson') has 24 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Ish Smith') has 8 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tobias Harris') has 16 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Hassan Whiteside') has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dion Waiters') has 17 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Goran Dragic') has 23 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Wayne Ellington') has 19 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'James Johnson') has 5 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 18 Points, has 8 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals"]

DeMarcus Cousins 35 - point, 18 - rebound double - double led the way for the Kings, and his driving layup with 14 seconds remaining gave Sacramento a lead it would n't relinquish. Darren Collison was a distant second with 17 points, two assists and a block. Anthony Tolliver posted a bench - leading 14 points, while Arron Afflalo provided 13. Willie Cauley-Stein totaled 13 points and three rebounds in a reserve role as well. Kemba Walker's 26 points led the Hornets, a total he supplement with seven assists, three rebounds, a steal and a block. Nicolas Batum provided 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Marvin Williams posted 14 points, while Spencer Hawes led the bench with 12. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist managed nine points and Frank Kaminsky III was also productive as a reserve, registering eight points, six assists, four rebounds and a block.

["PlayerStat(G, 'DeMarcus Cousins') has 35 Points, has 18 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Arron Afflalo') has 13 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Darren Collison') has 2 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 17 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Anthony Tolliver') has 14 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Willie Cauley-Stein') has 13 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Michael Kidd-Gilchrist') has 9 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marvin Williams') has 12 Field goals attempted, has 14 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nicolas Batum') has 7 Assists, has 19 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kemba Walker') has 7 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 26 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Frank Kaminsky') has 6 Assists, has 8 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Spencer Hawes') has 12 Points"]

The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Boston Celtics, 127 - 123, in overtime at TD Garden on Saturday afternoon. The Blazers (19 - 27) checked in to Saturday with only seven road wins in 25 tries this season, and appeared to be facing particularly long odds against a Celtics (26 - 17) squad that had won seven of their past nine contests. However, a strong third quarter helped Portland catch Boston after they'd faced a 65 - 56 deficit at the half, and they appeared poised for a hard - fought victory when Damian Lillard drained a pair of free throws with 10 seconds remaining. Terry Rozier turned the tables just two seconds later, though, making a 27 - foot three - point jumper off a Marcus Smart assist to knot matters up at 113. Following a Lillard missed step - back jumper as time expired, the two teams headed to an extra period. The Celtics gained a temporary 118 - 117 advantage with 1:23 remaining in overtime after an Isaiah Thomas three - pointer, but another pair of Lillard free throws with a second left sealed the victory. C.J. McCollum led the way for Portland with 35 points, three assists, two rebounds and three steals. Lillard provided 28 points, seven assists, a rebound and a block. Meyers Leonard led the bench with 17 points, four boards and a steal. Evan Turner filled out the stat sheet with 12 points, four rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal. Mason Plumlee generated 10 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included eight assists and a steal. Al-Farouq Aminu was productive in a reserve role as well, tallying 11 points, seven boards, a steal and a block. The Celtics saw Thomas score a game - high 41 points, which he supplemented with six assists and three rebounds. Al Horford and Marcus Smart posted matching 17 - point efforts, with the former adding nine rebounds and five assists, and the latter supplying six rebounds, six assists and two steals. Jae Crowder totaled 16 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal. Rozier led the second unit with 15 points, three boards and three assists, while Kelly Olynyk was also productive in a reserve role with 10 points, eight rebounds and an assist. The Trail Blazers head back to home to await the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night, while the Celtics head to the Nation's Capital to tangle with the Washington Wizards on Tuesday evening.

["TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 17 Losses ,has 123 Total points ,has 26 Points in 4th quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 27 Losses ,has 127 Total points ,has 25 Points in 4th quarter ,has 19 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Evan Turner') has 4 Assists, has 2 Blocks, has 12 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mason Plumlee') has 8 Assists, has 10 Points, has 11 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'CJ McCollum') has 3 Assists, has 35 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Damian Lillard') has 7 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 2 3-pointers made, has 28 Points, has 1 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Al-Farouq Aminu') has 1 Blocks, has 11 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Meyers Leonard') has 17 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jae Crowder') has 2 Assists, has 16 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Al Horford') has 5 Assists, has 17 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcus Smart') has 6 Assists, has 2 Offensive rebounds, has 17 Points, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Isaiah Thomas') has 6 Assists, has 41 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Terry Rozier') has 3 Assists, has 15 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kelly Olynyk') has 1 Assists, has 10 Points, has 8 Total rebounds"]

The Toronto Raptors (16 - 5) defeated the Denver Nuggets (9 - 12) 112 - 107 on Monday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The Raptors were able to get out to a 62 - 52 lead after the first half, but the Nuggets turned in a big third quarter and evened it back up going into the fourth. After ending regulation tied 102 - 102, they went into overtime where the Raptors held the Nuggets to only five points, therefore securing the victory. The Raptors received a big contribution off the bench in the overtime win. Louis Williams led all scorers with 26 points (7 - 16 FG, 3 - 10 3Pt, 9 - 10 FT), while also grabbing three rebounds. It was a nice bounce back game for him, after scoring only five points on Friday against the Cavaliers. Patrick Patterson was the other big bench presence, as he went 7 - for - 11 from the field and 5 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score 19 points. He also chipped in eight rebounds, in what was arguably one of his best games of the year. Starting at center, Jonas Valanciunas recorded his fifth double - double of the year, finishing with 18 points and 12 rebounds. He did it on the defensive side of the ball as well and recorded a season - high of four blocks. Kyle Lowry and Terrence Ross had 13 and 16 points respectively, with Lowry handing out 13 assists. The Nuggets backcourt did most of the damage to the Raptors. Arron Afflalo went 9 - for - 14 from the field and 4 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 25 points, while adding six rebounds. Ty Lawson also had a big game and recorded 22 points (8 - 19 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) and 12 assists. It was his ninth straight game with at least 10 assists. Wilson Chandler got off a team - high of 21 shots, but only converted on seven, giving him 18 points on the night. He's now combined for 67 points in the last three games, as he continues to get off a ridiculous amount of shots. Both J.J. Hickson and Timofey Mozgov reached double - figures, scoring 10 and 15 points respectively. Mozgov contributed 12 rebounds to go along with his 15 points, giving him his second double - double in a row. The Raptors' next game will be on the road against the Cleveland Cavliers on Tuesday, while the Nuggets will be at home against the Miami Heat on Tuesday as well.

["TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 5 Losses ,has 112 Total points ,has 16 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 12 Losses ,has 107 Total points ,has 9 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Wilson Chandler') has 3 Assists, has 21 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 3 Personal fouls, has 18 Points, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'JJ Hickson') has 10 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Timofey Mozgov') has 15 Points, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Arron Afflalo') has 7 3-pointers attempted, has 4 3-pointers made, has 14 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 25 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Ty Lawson') has 12 Assists, has 8 3-pointers attempted, has 2 3-pointers made, has 19 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 4 Free throws made, has 22 Points, has 3 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Terrence Ross') has 13 3-pointer percentage, has 16 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jonas Valanciunas') has 4 Blocks, has 18 Points, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyle Lowry') has 13 Assists, has 13 Field goals attempted, has 13 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Lou Williams') has 1 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 10 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 16 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 10 Free throws attempted, has 9 Free throws made, has 1 Offensive rebounds, has 26 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Patrick Patterson') has 1 Blocks, has 7 3-pointers attempted, has 5 3-pointers made, has 11 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 1 Personal fouls, has 19 Points, has 8 Total rebounds"]

The Toronto Raptors defeated the visiting Indiana Pacers, 89 - 84, in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference first - round playoffs Sunday, advancing to the second - round for the first time in 15 years and only the second time in franchise history. The Raptors started strong and took a six - point lead into half time. They were able to stay on top and push it to a 16 - point lead with 7:30 left in the fourth quarter, but Indiana was not done. The Pacers went on a 15 - 2 run in the next five minutes to make it a one - possession game with two and a half minutes left; however, the Raptors managed to hang on thanks to solid defense and a couple of clutch baskets. DeMar DeRozan came out strong for Toronto and finished with 30 points (10 - 32 FG, 1 - 5 FG, 9 - 9 FT) including 11 of the Raptors last 12 points in the third quarter, along with five rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocked shots, in 40 minutes. Rookie, second - round pick, Norman Powell stepped up big time as he came off the bench on fire, shooting 5 - 6 from the field, including 3 - 4 from long range, to finish with 13 points, in 23 minutes. Kyle Lowry finished with 11 points, nine assists, four rebounds and one steal, while Jonas Valanciunas tallied a double - double with 10 points and 15 rebounds. The Raptors dished 21 assists in the game and hauled in a monstrous 18 offensive rebounds to earn the edge against the relentless Pacers. Paul George led the Pacers in scoring and rebounding, with 26 points (8 - 18 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and 12 rebounds, along with three steals and one assist, but also had seven turnovers, in 46 minutes. George Hill followed up with 19 points (8 - 11 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt), two assists, one rebound and one steal, while Monta Ellis chipped in 15 points, seven assists and four rebounds. The Pacers held the Raptors to 38 percent shooting from the field, but gave up 15 turnovers as they fell just short. The Raptors will play the Miami Heat in the conference semifinals, which begin Tuesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 21 Number of team assists ,has 38 Percentage of field goals ,has 89 Total points ,has 11 Points in 4th quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 84 Number of team assists ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Paul George') has 1 Assists, has 7 3-pointers attempted, has 4 3-pointers made, has 18 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 6 Free throws made, has 46 Minutes played, has 26 Points, has 12 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals, has 7 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Monta Ellis') has 7 Assists, has 15 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'George Hill') has 2 Assists, has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 11 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 19 Points, has 1 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jonas Valanciunas') has 10 Points, has 15 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMar DeRozan') has 2 Assists, has 2 Blocks, has 32 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 9 Free throws attempted, has 9 Free throws made, has 40 Minutes played, has 30 Points, has 5 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyle Lowry') has 9 Assists, has 11 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Norman Powell') has 23 Minutes played, has 13 Points"]

The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 100 - 96, at Spectrum Center on Friday. The battle of Southeastern Division rivals lived up to its billing, with the Hornets (8 - 3) pulling away in the fourth quarter of what was an exciting nip - and - tuck contest. Nicolas Batum, Kemba Walker and Cody Zeller ripped off a trio of 20 - point efforts to spearhead the win, which helped overcome a collective 41 percent field - goal percentage. In contrast, the Hawks (9 - 3) tallied a superior 46 percent success rate, but did turn the ball over 16 times, five more than Charlotte. Despite the defeat, Atlanta can take solace in the effort put in by the returning Dwight Howard, who hauled in 18 boards and also contributed 10 points, two assists, three steals and two blocks. The Hawks were led by Paul Millsap, who posted a 22 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that also included an assist and a block. Kent Bazemore followed with 19 points, two rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks. Dennis Schroder contributed 11 points, five assists, a rebound and a steal. Mike Muscala, who turned in a strong performance in Howard's stead on Wednesday, was productive off the bench, totaling 11 points, five rebounds, two assists and a block. Batum paced the Hornets with 24 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals. Zeller was outstanding in compiling a season - high 23 points, as he shot 9 - of - 10 from the field and also hauled in three boards, an assist, three blocks and two steals. Walker, who totaled 21 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals, helped seal the victory with a go - ahead jumper with 4:3 remaining that he followed up with an acrobatic highlight - reel layup and three - point jumper shortly thereafter. While Marvin Williams was only able to muster eight points, he did haul in 11 rebounds and dished out three assists. The Hawks head to New York for a Sunday afternoon date with the Knicks, while the Hornets head to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans on Saturday night.

["TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 3 Percentage of field goals ,has 100 Losses ,has 8 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 46 Percentage of field goals ,has 3 Losses ,has 96 Total points ,has 16 Points in 4th quarter ,has 16 Turnovers ,has 9 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Kent Bazemore') has 2 Assists, has 2 Blocks, has 19 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Paul Millsap') has 1 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 22 Points, has 13 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dwight Howard') has 2 Assists, has 2 Blocks, has 10 Points, has 18 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dennis Schroder') has 5 Assists, has 11 Points, has 1 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mike Muscala') has 2 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 11 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marvin Williams') has 3 Assists, has 8 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Cody Zeller') has 1 Assists, has 3 Blocks, has 10 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 23 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nicolas Batum') has 4 Assists, has 24 Points, has 10 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kemba Walker') has 6 Assists, has 21 Points, has 5 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals"]

These are two offenses that can put up points at ease and that was evident in this 262 - point barn burner. Houston's offense was especially easy, as they shot 63 percent from the field and 51 percent from three - point range. It was a wire - to - wire win for the Rockets, as it was a double - digit margin for the majority of the second half. Russell Westbrook carried the Thunder, as he collected 39 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists. Enes Kanter played well off the bench, totaling 24 points and four rebounds. Victor Oladipo accrued 15 points, four rebounds and four assists. Lou Williams led the way for Houston, as he dropped 31 points, three rebounds and four assists on 11 - of - 15 shooting off the Rockets bench. James Harden accrued 22 points, five rebounds and 12 assists. Trevor Ariza shot 9 - of - 11 to total 24 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals,

["TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 51 Percentage of 3 points ,has 63 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Victor Oladipo') has 4 Assists, has 15 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Russell Westbrook') has 13 Assists, has 39 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Enes Kanter') has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Trevor Ariza') has 6 Assists, has 11 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 24 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'James Harden') has 12 Assists, has 22 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Lou Williams') has 4 Assists, has 15 Field goals attempted, has 11 Field goals made, has 31 Points, has 3 Total rebounds"]

Chris Paul stepped up his offense as the starting five found points relatively hard to come by for a second straight game. Paul's 27 points and six steals equaled season highs, while his 11 dimes represented a new high - water mark. His 15 free - throw shots were also a game high, and he converted 14 of them into points. The All-Star guard almost outscored his other four teammates on the first unit, who only combined for 36 points, a total that was matched by the five players on the Clippers bench. The Grizzlies received a combined 51 points from Mike Conley and Marc Gasol, but only 37 points from 10 other players who logged minutes. They managed just a 37 percent success rate from the field, while their 19 turnovers led to 30 points for the Clippers.

["TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 37 Percentage of field goals ." "TeamStat(G,'Clippers') has 30 Percentage of field goals ,has 4 Points in 2nd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Chris Paul') has 11 Assists, has 15 Free throws attempted, has 14 Free throws made, has 4 Personal fouls, has 27 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 6 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marc Gasol') has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mike Conley') has 10 Assists"]

The Chicago Bulls (15 - 8) defeated the Miami Heat (11 - 13) 93 - 75 on Sunday. Chicago has won four of their last five games. Mike Dunleavy took a rare lead on offense Sunday, finishing with a game - high 22 points on an efficient 8 - of - 11 shooting from the field. Joakim Noah sat out a third straight game to rest his sprained ankle, giving Taj Gibson another spot start. Gibson finished with 15 points and nine rebounds in 38 minutes. The Bulls will continue their two - game road trip in Atlanta on Monday against the Hawks. Miami has lost six of their last eight games, and Sunday they were without both Chris Bosh (calf) and Josh McRoberts (knee), putting them behind the eight ball trying to fight for a win without their starting frontcourt. With Bosh out, the Heat struggled to get anything working on offense and shot a woeful 35 percent from the field and 18 percent from beyond the arc. Miami will go on the road Tuesday to face the Brooklyn Nets.

["TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 18 Percentage of 3 points ,has 35 Percentage of field goals ,has 13 Losses ,has 75 Total points ,has 11 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 8 Percentage of 3 points ,has 93 Percentage of field goals ,has 15 Losses ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Mike Dunleavy') has 11 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 22 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Taj Gibson') has 38 Minutes played, has 15 Points, has 9 Total rebounds"]

San Antonio has now beat Denver in six - straight meetings, as they continue to dominate the Nuggets. Shooting was the key difference in this game, with San Antonio shooting 57 percent, while holding Denver to under 45 percent from the field. Free-throw shooting was decisive as well, with the Nuggets going just 5 - of - 10, while the Spurs hit 21 - of - 26. Jamal Murray was the only Denver player with more than 11 points, as he dropped 20 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting off the bench. Nikola Jokic led the starters, as he scored 11 points to go along with one rebound and two assists. No other player had more than 10 points or five assists. Kawhi Leonard led the way for San Antonio, as he tallied 19 points, six rebounds and five assists. Tony Parker went 8 - of - 8 from the field to score 18 points, while adding four assists and three steals. Jonathan Simmons and Manu Ginobili came off the bench to score 18 points a piece.

["TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 57 Percentage of field goals ." "TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 45 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Jokic') has 2 Assists, has 11 Points, has 1 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jamal Murray') has 12 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kawhi Leonard') has 5 Assists, has 19 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tony Parker') has 4 Assists, has 8 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 18 Points, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Manu Ginobili') has 18 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jonathon Simmons') has 18 Points"]

The Memphis Grizzlies (17 - 16) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (5 - 26) 112 - 96 on Sunday. The Grizzlies seem to have discovered a successful formula with their current frontcourt rotation. Coach Dave Joerger moved veteran Zach Randolph to the bench nine games ago, promoting Matt Barnes and Jeff Green to the starting lineup in the process. Since the personnel shift, Randolph has tallied six double - digit scoring performances, while receiving a few extra minutes of valuable rest each night. Meanwhile, both Barnes and Green have put together some productive outings with the additional playing time. Sunday provided a tangible example of the positive results the rotation has brought, with Randolph producing 16 points, three rebounds and a steal over just 20 minutes. Green amassed 17 points and four rebounds himself, while Barnes only managed a modest five points, but hauled in eight boards. The Grizzlies also outscored the Lakers in the paint by the comfortable margin of 44 - 28, and outrebounded them on the defensive glass, 34 - 28. The visitors also received solid efforts from three other members of their starting five, Marc Gasol, Mike Conley and Courtney Lee. Gasol pitched in 16 points and added six rebounds and a steal, while the pair of guards combined for 32 points, six rebounds, eight assists and five swipes. Randolph's aforementioned 16 points paced the Memphis bench, and Mario Chalmers joined him as the other double - digit scoring reserve with 11 points. The backup point guard supplemented his scoring with seven assists and a steal over the season - high 29 minutes he received. The Grizzlies improved their record to 17 - 16 and currently reside in third place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They head home to face the Miami Heat on Tuesday. The Lakers could not follow up their scrappy Christmas Day effort versus the Clippers with a similar performance. They fell into a 59 - 46 hole by halftime, and although they showed some life after intermission, the outcome of the game was never truly in question. Kobe Bryant did continue his stretch of considerably improved play by leading the Lakers with a 19 - point tally on 6 of 15 shooting. He added three assists and a pair of rebounds, and now has 10 straight double - digit scoring games. Rookie Larry Nance, Jr. turned in a notable performance of his own, contributing a career - high 17 points and hauling in 11 boards for his first career double - double. Jordan Clarkson was the only other starter with double - digit points, pouring in 12 and adding three assists and a pair of rebounds. 2015 first - round pick D'Angelo Russell paced the Lakers' reserves with 10 points, three assists and a steal, his third consecutive double - digit scoring effort. Los Angeles fell to 5 - 26 and remains in last place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They head to Charlotte for a Monday showdown with the Hornets.

["TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 16 Losses ,has 112 Total points ,has 17 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 26 Losses ,has 96 Total points ,has 5 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Kobe Bryant') has 3 Assists, has 15 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 19 Points, has 2 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Larry Nance Jr.') has 17 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jordan Clarkson') has 3 Assists, has 12 Points, has 2 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'D'Angelo Russell') has 3 Assists, has 10 Points, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jeff Green') has 17 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Matt Barnes') has 5 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marc Gasol') has 3 Defensive rebounds, has 16 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Courtney Lee') has 3 Assists, has 5 Field goals made" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mike Conley') has 5 Assists, has 3 3-pointers attempted" "PlayerStat(G, 'Zach Randolph') has 20 Minutes played, has 16 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mario Chalmers') has 7 Assists, has 29 Minutes played, has 11 Points, has 1 Steals"]

The Toronto Raptors defeated the New York Knicks, 116 - 101, at Air Canada Centre on Sunday. The Knicks (18 - 23) found themselves without star power forward Kristaps Porzingis for a second consecutive game due to his sore Achilles, and his absence seemed to make a considerable difference, particularly in the middle portion of the game. After hanging tough with the Raptors (27 - 13) through the first period, New York saw their hosts outscore them by a whopping 69 - 38 margin over the second and third quarters. Toronto was particularly dominant coming out of the halftime locker room, as they blasted their visitors by a 27 - 8 spread in the third quarter. The Raptors were able to shoot an impressive 49 percent from the field overall, while seeing three players eclipse the 20 - point mark. The Knicks were led by Carmelo Anthony's 18 points, although he was only able to add a rebound and an assist to his stat line. Justin Holiday was the second - leading scorer for the Knicks and accomplished the distinction from the bench, as he totaled 17 points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal over 26 minutes. Derrick Rose was next with 16 points, three assists, two rebounds and a block. Joakim Noah notably contributed just one point but did haul in eight boards. Lance Thomas had to exit the contest after just two minutes as a result of an elbow to the face. Mindaugas Kuzminskas provided nine points, two rebounds and an assist in 23 minutes off the bench in his stead. DeMar DeRozan paced the Raptors with 23 points, five rebounds and five assists. Norman Powell was right behind him with an impressive performance off the bench, posting 21 points, a rebound and a steal over 24 minutes. DeMarre Carroll went for 20 points, two boards, two steals and a block. Jonas Valanciunas chipped in with a 12 - point, 16 - rebound double - double that also included an assist. Terrence Ross got in the act as well, generating 12 points, two rebounds and an assist in 23 minutes. The Knicks head back home to face off with the Atlanta Hawks on Monday afternoon, while the Raptors head to New York to take on the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday evening.

["TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 49 Percentage of field goals ,has 13 Losses ,has 116 Total points ,has 27 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 20 Points in 4th quarter ,has 27 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 23 Percentage of field goals ,has 101 Losses ,has 8 Total points ,has 18 Points in 3rd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Carmelo Anthony') has 1 Assists, has 26 Minutes played, has 18 Points, has 1 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Lance Thomas') has 2 Minutes played" "PlayerStat(G, 'Joakim Noah') has 1 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Derrick Rose') has 3 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 16 Points, has 2 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mindaugas Kuzminskas') has 1 Assists, has 23 Minutes played, has 9 Points, has 2 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Justin Holiday') has 1 Assists, has 26 Minutes played, has 17 Points, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMarre Carroll') has 1 Blocks, has 20 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jonas Valanciunas') has 1 Assists, has 12 Points, has 16 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMar DeRozan') has 5 Assists, has 23 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Terrence Ross') has 1 Assists, has 23 Minutes played, has 12 Points, has 2 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Norman Powell') has 24 Minutes played, has 21 Points, has 1 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals"]

The visiting Minnesota Timberwolves demolished the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, 107 - 80. Minnesota (25 - 36) saw one of its most convincing wins of the season, as sophomore phenom Karl-Anthony Towns continued his stretch of dominance. Towns took his game to another level in February, averaging over 28 points and 13 rebounds per game while shooting over 60 percent. On Wednesday, he looked as solid as ever, scoring 21 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting to go along with 15 rebounds. Five Timberwolves finished with at least 11 points in what was a well - rounded team effort on offense. Third-year wing Andrew Wiggins scored 20 points for the 18th straight game, while Shabazz Muhammad had 18 in just 23 minutes of play. The Wolves hit 50 percent of their shots from the field, 50 percent from beyond the arc, and over 80 percent from the free - throw line. Utah (37 - 24) has now dropped two straight games in what has been a minor slide in an otherwise great season. Wednesday's game certainly marked a low - point for the Jazz, who shot under 39 percent and made only four three - pointers en route to only 80 points on the night. The team's high scorer was third - year Australian point guard Dante Exum, who had 15 points in 28 minutes off the bench. The game quickly got out of hand for Utah, leading no member of the starting five to play more than 26 minutes on the night. It will likely be a performance the Jazz hope to forget. The Wolves will visit San Antonio on Saturday, while Utah will host the Nets on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 39 Percentage of field goals ,has 24 Losses ,has 80 Total points ,has 37 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 36 Percentage of field goals ,has 107 Losses ,has 25 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Andrew Wiggins') has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Karl-Anthony Towns') has 1 Blocks, has 16 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 1 Free throws attempted, has 1 Free throws made, has 21 Points, has 15 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Shabazz Muhammad') has 18 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dante Exum') has 15 Points"]

In this Finals rematch from nearly a decade ago, these two teams showed why they're still Finals contenders. This overtime thriller was close throughout, as there were 13 ties and 15 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than 11 points. Free-throws killed the Cavs, as they made the same amount of free - throws as the Spurs, but took eight more attempts. They also dominated the assist - to - turnover ratio, with San Antonio recording seven more assists and five less turnovers. Kawhi Leonard was the player of the game, dropping a career - high 41 points in the win. He also added six rebounds and five assists. LaMarcus Aldridge and David Lee both recorded double - doubles for the Spurs in the frontcourt. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving tied the team - lead for Cleveland, scoring 29 points a piece. James added six rebounds and seven assists, while irving provided three rebounds and nine assists.

["PlayerStat(G, 'Kawhi Leonard') has 5 Assists, has 41 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'LeBron James') has 7 Assists, has 29 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyrie Irving') has 29 Points"]

The Denver Nuggets (18 - 29) handed a 117 - 113 loss to the Washington Wizards (20 - 24) on Washington Bullets throwback night at Verizon Center. After losing four of their previous five outings, the Denver Nuggets were able to turn their luck around against the sliding Washington Wizards. Small forward Danillo Gallinari paved the way for the win with a team - high 26. Meanwhile, rookie Emmanuel Mudiay showed a scoring touch with a season second - best of 20 points. Sixth man Will Barton again posted starter - like numbers off the bench, going for 15 points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block in 26 minutes of play. The team as a whole shot 51 percent from the field and hit 9 of their 18 three - point attempts. Washington also came into Thursday's matchup having lost four of their last five; however, their slide did not show signs of stopping. Despite staging somewhat of a late - game comeback, Washington was unable to lead Denver in the second half. Recently-named All-Star John Wall neared a double - double with 17 points and nine assists, but shot just 5 for 17 from the field. Washington simply could n't out - shoot the red hot Nuggets, despite holding a whopping 37 - 15 advantage on the fast break. The Nuggets will square off next against the Pacers on Sunday in Denver. Meanwhile, the Wizards will take to the road against Houston.

["TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 24 Losses ,has 113 Total points ,has 20 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 29 Losses ,has 117 Total points ,has 18 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Danilo Gallinari') has 26 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Emmanuel Mudiay') has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Will Barton') has 1 Blocks, has 26 Minutes played, has 15 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'John Wall') has 9 Assists, has 17 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 17 Points"]

The Toronto Raptors (47 - 32) defeated the Orlando Magic (25 - 54) 101 - 99 on Friday in Orlando. The game went back and forth until the final buzzer sounded. DeMar DeRozan put the Raptors up two with 18 seconds left, but then Victor Oladipo countered with a three - point bomb of his own to put the Magic up one point with 13 seconds remaining. Finally, it was Lou Williams who hit a three of his own with nine seconds left to give Toronto their two - point lead back. With four seconds left, down two points, the Magic had an opportunity to tie it or win the game, but Oladipo's jumper at the buzzer was just off, giving the Raptors the victory. DeRozan led the way for Toronto, recording a game - high 29 points (10 - 21 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), five assists and three rebounds in 37 minutes. Tyler Hansbrough also filled in nicely once again for the injured Amir Johnson (ankle), scoring 16 points (7 - 12 FG) and grabbing 7 rebounds in 36 minutes. Lou Williams, in addition to hitting the game - winning shot, scored 13 points on 5 - of - 15 shooting, while Kyle Lowry (back) returned to the starting lineup after sitting the last seven games to post 10 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in 33 minutes. Terrence Ross left Friday's game with a sore left ankle and did not return. The win moves the Raptors into a tie for third place in the East, where they currently hold the tiebreaker over the Bulls with just three games left to play in the regular season. Oladipo led the way for the Magic in the losing effort, posting 19 points (8 - 18 FG), five rebounds and four assists in 43 minutes. Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic each scored 16 points, while Evan Fournier (18) and Aaron Gordon (13) combined to score 31 points off the bench. Up next, the Raptors will travel to Miami Saturday to play the Heat, while the Magic will stay at home and take on the Knicks on Saturday.

["TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 54 Losses ,has 99 Total points ,has 19 Points in 1st quarter ,has 25 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 32 Losses ,has 101 Total points ,has 29 Points in 1st quarter ,has 47 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Tyler Hansbrough') has 12 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 36 Minutes played, has 16 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMar DeRozan') has 5 Assists, has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 21 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 6 Free throws made, has 37 Minutes played, has 2 Offensive rebounds, has 2 Personal fouls, has 29 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyle Lowry') has 7 Assists, has 7 Defensive rebounds, has 33 Minutes played, has 10 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Lou Williams') has 7 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 15 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 13 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tobias Harris') has 16 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Vucevic') has 18 Field goals attempted, has 16 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Victor Oladipo') has 4 Assists, has 3 Defensive rebounds, has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 18 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 43 Minutes played, has 2 Offensive rebounds, has 4 Personal fouls, has 19 Points, has 5 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals, has 3 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Aaron Gordon') has 13 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Evan Fournier') has 18 Points"]

The Cleveland Cavaliers (38 - 24) defeated the Boston Celtics (23 - 35) 110 - 79 on Tuesday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. The Cavaliers got out to an extremely quick start, out - scoring the Celtics 29 - 16 in the first quarter, while grabbing a 61 - 36 lead by half. They did n't slow down coming out of the half either, out - scoring the Celtics 34 - 17 in the third quarter, therefore setting them up to pull off an impressive 31 - point win in front of their home crowd. The Cavaliers were the superior shooting team in this game, going 48 percent from the field and 36 percent from the three - point line, while the Celtics finished at 35 percent from the floor and just 25 percent from deep. It also did n't help that the Celtics turned the ball over 16 times, while forcing the Cavs into just 11. LeBron James had himself a day Wednesday, going 12 - for - 23 from the field and 3 - for - 3 from the free throw line to finish with 27 points, while adding five assists and three steals in just 26 minutes. He's been absolutely on fire of late, averaging 35 points, 7 rebounds and three steals per game over his last three outings. Returning to the starting lineup after missing two games with a strained left shoulder, Kyrie Irving showed no signs of still being affected by the injury. In 26 minutes, he posted 18 points (6 - 10 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), five assists and two steals. He could've recorded even higher numbers, but considering the blow out and the recent injury, he was limited to just under 25 minutes on the court. Coming just shy of a double - double, Kevin Love finished with 12 points (4 - 10 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and eight rebounds in 24 minutes. Like both Irving and James, he could've had a lot more production, but the Cavaliers were up by so much, that the coaching staff felt it was necessary to rest the starters. He's now averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds on the season. Tristan Thompson added 10 points on 4 - of - 4 shooting from the field, to go along with seven rebounds as well. As shown by their final score, the Celtics really struggled to find a source of scoring. Brandon Bass was one of the only consistent options in this game, as he went 7 - for - 15 from the field and 1 - for - 1 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 15 points, while adding five rebounds as well. He's had a nice start to March offensively, recording two games in a row with 15 points.The only other Celtic to reach double figures was Isaiah Thomas, who came off the bench for 11 points (4 - 13 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt 3 - 4 FT) and two assists in just 20 minutes. Since joining the Celtics just six games ago, he's been arguably their best source of scoring, averaging 20 points over that six game span. Also off the bench, rookie James Young posted nine points (2 - 5 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 3FT) in just 17 minutes. Other than Bass, the Celtics starters combined for just 19 points, which wo n't win any team very many ball games. The Cavaliers' next game will be on the road against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, while the Celtics will be at home against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 36 Percentage of 3 points ,has 48 Percentage of field goals ,has 24 Losses ,has 110 Total points ,has 29 Points in 1st quarter ,has 34 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 38 Points in 3rd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 25 Percentage of 3 points ,has 35 Percentage of field goals ,has 35 Losses ,has 79 Total points ,has 16 Points in 1st quarter ,has 20 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 17 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 23 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Brandon Bass') has 1 Assists, has 1 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 15 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 15 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Isaiah Thomas') has 2 Assists, has 2 Defensive rebounds, has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 0 3-pointers made, has 13 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made, has 4 Free throws attempted, has 3 Free throws made, has 20 Minutes played, has 2 Personal fouls, has 11 Points, has 2 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'James Young') has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 2 3-pointers made, has 5 Field goals attempted, has 2 Field goals made, has 3 Free throws attempted, has 3 Free throws made, has 17 Minutes played, has 9 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'LeBron James') has 5 Assists, has 23 Field goals attempted, has 12 Field goals made, has 3 Free throws attempted, has 3 Free throws made, has 26 Minutes played, has 27 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kevin Love') has 6 3-pointers attempted, has 2 3-pointers made, has 10 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made, has 2 Free throws attempted, has 2 Free throws made, has 12 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyrie Irving') has 5 Assists, has 2 Defensive rebounds, has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 2 3-pointers made, has 10 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 4 Free throws attempted, has 4 Free throws made, has 26 Minutes played, has 2 Personal fouls, has 18 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals, has 2 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tristan Thompson') has 4 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made, has 10 Points, has 7 Total rebounds"]

Dwight Powell notched a career - high 17 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting, along with eight rebounds, in 28 minutes off the bench for Dallas. Wesley Matthews was the high - point man for the Mavs as he tied a season - high with 26 points on 9 - of - 17 shooting, including 7 - of - 11 from long range. Harrison Barnes added 22 points and five rebounds. Deron Williams tallied 15 assists to go along with nine points, in 31 minutes. The Mavericks recorded 31 assists on 40 field goals. Jimmy Butler was the only player to score more than 15 points for the Bulls as he finished with 26 points, along with nine rebounds, four assists and two steals, in 36 minutes. Rajon Rondo went 1 - of - 4 from the field as he finished with 2 points, two assists and two rebounds in 24 minutes. The Bulls gave up 20 turnovers and only tallied nine assists.

["TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 31 Number of team assists ." "TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 9 Number of team assists ,has 20 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Jimmy Butler') has 4 Assists, has 36 Minutes played, has 26 Points, has 9 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rajon Rondo') has 2 Assists, has 4 Field goals attempted, has 1 Field goals made, has 24 Minutes played, has 2 Points, has 2 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Harrison Barnes') has 22 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Wesley Matthews') has 11 3-pointers attempted, has 7 3-pointers made, has 17 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 26 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Deron Williams') has 15 Assists, has 31 Minutes played, has 9 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dwight Powell') has 11 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 28 Minutes played, has 17 Points"]