The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 16 - 7 ) defeated the Boston Celtics ( 14 - 11 ) 89 - 77 on Tuesday . The much - improved Celtics gave the Cavaliers all they could handle in the first half , and went into intermission with a 46 - 40 lead . That quickly dissipated in the third quarter however , with Cleveland 's turnaround spearheaded by contributions from J.R. Smith and Mo Williams . The Cavs also significantly tightened up their defensive efforts , holding Boston to a mere 31 points over the final two quarters . The Celtics only managed a 32 percent success rate from the field for the game , and shot a mediocre 28 percent from beyond the arc . The visitors were led by 24 points from LeBron James , who also added seven rebounds , three assists , a pair of steals and a block . Kevin Love continued to alternate double - and - single - digit point efforts , amassing 20 points , eight rebounds , five assists , a pair of blocks and a steal . Williams was the only other Cleveland player who managed double - digit scoring , tallying 10 points over a highly efficient 19 minutes from the bench . Timofey Mozgov did come within a point of a double - double , accummulating nine points and 10 rebounds . The Cavaliers improved to 16 - 7 and remain atop the Eastern Conference 's Central Division . They head home to face the Thunder in a Thursday night showdown . The Celtics were led by Avery Bradley 's 17 points , his 17th consecutive double - digit scoring effort . Jae Crowder ( 14 points ) and Isaiah Thomas ( 12 points ) were the other Boston players with any type of meaningful production , with the latter enduring a particularly difficult 3 - for - 15 shooting night . Boston 's starting frontcourt came up particularly short on the night , with Jared Sullinger and Amir Johnson combining for only 10 points and 12 rebounds . The Celtics were also outscored in the paint , 44 - 24 . Boston fell to 14 - 11 and remains in second place in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic Division . They head to Detroit to take on the Pistons on Wednesday .


The Atlanta Hawks ( 16 - 12 ) defeated the Boston Celtics ( 14 - 13 ) by a score of 109 - 101 , in Boston on Friday . This was a huge win for the Hawks and a huge loss for the Celtics . Atlanta was ninth in the East , while Boston was tenth heading into this game . With the win the Hawks find themselves back in the top eight , while Boston is now one game farther out of the top eight . The Celtics have now lost three straight . It was back and forth the whole way . Boston made it a two - point game with 2:32 left in the fourth but Atlanta turned up the heat to seal the deal down the stretch . The Hawks shared the ball well , with six players scoring in double digits , however they shot a poor 4 - 20 from long range as a team . Big Al Horford was huge for the Hawks with a double - double consisting of 21 points and 10 rebounds , along with three blocked shots and two assists , in 35 minutes . Fellow frontcourt presence Paul Millsap dropped 20 points ( 6 - 13 FG , 8 - 10 FT ) , along with eight rebounds , four assists and two steals . Dennis Schroder led Atlanta in scoring with 22 points ( 8 - 15 FG , 2 - 4 3Pt , 4 - 4 FT ) in 28 minutes off the bench . He also dished five assists and grabbed four steals . Isaiah Thomas was electric as usual for the Celtics . Thomas led all scorers with 29 points on 6 - 12 shooting including 3 - 5 from beyond the arc but most notably shot 14 - 15 from the free throw line . Jae Crowder had one of his better games this season , finishing with 24 points ( 8 - 13 FG , 3 - 7 3Pt , 5 - 5 FT ) and 10 rebounds in 36 minutes . The only other player to score double digits for Boston was Jared Sullinger , who finished with 10 points ( 4 - 7 FG ) , along with eight rebounds , three assists and one steal , in 24 minutes . The Celtics will get a bit of a rest before hosting Minnesota on Monday . They will need to get back in the win column to stay competitive in the over - crowded East . The Hawks will have to stay on their A-game as they head to Orlando to face - off against the gritty Magic on Sunday .


The Boston Celtics ( 15 - 13 ) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves ( 11 - 17 ) 113 - 99 on Monday . 2015 first overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns has had an outstanding rookie campaign , with only a few hiccups along the way . Monday , the rookie reached another milestone in his young career , hauling in an outstanding 16 boards and posting his third - highest scoring total of the season with 25 points . Towns and spot starter Gorgui Dieng made for a formidable duo down low , helping Minnesota outscore the Celtics in the paint 56 to 44 . However , Minnesota was ultimately done in by a solid shooting night from the home team , who drained 52 percent of their attempts from the field , including an impressive 48 percent of their 25 tries from beyond the arc . The above - average accuracy helped Boston post a 32 - 19 third quarter that blew open what had been a seven - point halftime lead . Dieng got the starting nod in place of the idle Kevin Garnett , and contributed 12 points , five rebounds , three assists , two blocks and a steal over 30 minutes . Andrew Wiggins pitched in with his fourth outstanding offensive performance over the last five games , pouring in 26 points and adding three rebounds . The 2014 first overall pick now has tallied 23 , 23 , 32 and tonight 's 26 points during that span of contests . The valuable Zach LaVine managed another starting - quality contribution to pace the Minnesota bench , collecting 17 points , three rebounds , two assists and a steal over 26 efficient minutes . The Timberwolves fell to 11 - 17 and currently reside in fourth place in the Western Conference 's Northwest Division . They head home to face the Spurs on Wednesday . Boston once again benefited from a balanced scoring effort from their starting five , which on this night was speaheaded by Kelly Olynyk 's 19 points and five rebounds . Jae Crowder , much improved on offense in December , posted his second consecutive double - double with 18 points and 10 boards . He also shot a stellar 62 percent ( 8 for 13 ) from the field for a second straight game . Avery Bradley tallied 13 points of his own , and David Lee made the most of a starting opportunity in place of Amir Johnson ( foot ) , amassing 13 points , eight rebounds , three assists and a block over just 22 minutes . After back - to - back 38 - and - 29 - point efforts , Isaiah Thomas cooled off with only eight points , but pitched in with 12 assists , his second - highest total in that category this season . Tyler Zeller ( 14 points ) and Jonas Jerebko ( 12 points ) paced the Celtics bench with notable contributions of their own . The Celtics improved to 15 - 13 and remain in second place in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic Division . They travel to Charlotte to take on the Hornets on Wednesday .


The Boston Celtics ( 18 - 13 ) picked up their season - high fourth win in a row on Sunday night , when they defeated the New York Knicks ( 14 - 18 ) by the score of 100 - 91 , in Boston . This loss was the fourth in a row for New York . The Celtics were up 22 - 18 after a hard fought first quarter and managed to hold off New York the rest of the way . This game was the second of a back - to - back for both teams . Boston was coming off a big win in Detroit and came into this one pumped up . The Knicks lost against Atlanta in their last game and with this loss too , are quickly losing touch with the top eight in the East . Marcus Smart was back in the line up for Boston , after missing 18 games with a knee injury . Smart played 13 minutes off the bench and finished with six points , three rebounds and one assist . Isaiah Thomas had an all - around good game as he led his team in scoring with 21 points , along with six assists and eight rebounds . Jae Crowder chipped in 18 points , six rebounds , two assists and one steal , in 34 minutes . Evan Turner had 19 points , five rebounds and two assists , in 30 minutes off the bench . David Lee remained side - lined with a lower back injury . The Knicks struggled shooting , going only 37 percent from the field . Carmelo Anthony shot 11 - 26 on his way to a game - high 29 points , along with 10 rebounds and two assists , in 35 minutes . Kristaps Porzingis shot only 4 - 13 from the field but put up solid numbers with 16 points , 12 rebounds , three blocked shots and two steals , in 28 minutes . Derrick Williams chipped in 10 points and four rebounds , in 23 minutes off the bench . Scoring has been a problem for the Knicks lately as they have failed to score 100 points in each of their last four losses . The Knicks next game will be at home on Tuesday versus Detroit . This will be another tough Eastern Conference match up for the Knicks , but they will have to win if they want to stay relevant in the East . The Celtics will have a couple days rest before hosting the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday . The Celtics will be looking to extend their winning streak to five .


The Los Angeles Lakers ( 6 - 27 ) pulled out the win on the road Wednesday night over the Boston Celtics ( 18 - 14 ) , 112 - 104 at the TD Garden . Trailing 100 - 89 , Boston made a spirited 90 run in the second half of the fourth quarter to pull the game within two with 3:36 to go . The Lakers , however , would n't relinquish the lead , and a Kobe Bryant three - pointer with 1:40 to go proved to be the dagger . Bryant finished with 15 points despite a rough 5 - 18 shooting night , but hit two three - pointers and added 11 rebounds for a double - double . Jordan Clarkson led the Lakers with 24 on an ultra - efficient 10 - 15 shooting . The Lakers shot a robust 9 - 19 ( 47 percent ) from three - point land , even better than they shot from inside the arc ( 45 percent ) . Isaiah Thomas matched Clarkson 's 24 points and led the way for the Celtics in the losing effort . Evan Turner came off the bench to score 20 and dished a game - high eight assists in just 28 minutes . The Celtics just could n't get it going from deep , as they shot just 7 - 25 ( 28 percent ) , and that proved to be the difference . The Lakers snapped a four - game losing streak and will try to make it two wins in a row Friday against Philadelphia at home . The Celtics had a four - game winning streak of their own snapped and next host the Nets on Saturday .


The Brooklyn Nets ( 10 - 23 ) defeated the Boston Celtics ( 18 - 15 ) 100 - 97 on Saturday . Brooklyn , which had only three road victories this season , got a rare road win against the Celtics . The Nets largely accomplished their unlikely feat by going through the weak spot of the Celtics ' otherwise formidable defense , the frontcourt . As has often been the case this season , Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young dominated down low with a pair of double - double efforts . Lopez led all scorers with a season - high 30 points , and added 13 rebounds , two assists , a steal and a block for his sixth double - double in the last seven games . Meanwhile , Young contributed 16 points , 10 boards , an assist and a steal . The Nets impressively scored almost half of their points in the paint , collecting 46 near the basket on the afternoon , and also hauled in 50 rebounds . While Boston matched them in scoring down low and actually bested them by one board in the latter category , Lopez 's mammoth offensive showing played an integral role in allowing Brooklyn to escape with a hard - fought victory . Veteran Joe Johnson was the third Brooklyn starter to turn in a notable effort , posting 20 points on 9 of 19 shooting . It was somewhat of a breakout game for the 15 - year veteran , who had not eclipsed the 20 - point mark since Dec. 8 against the Rockets , and who was also coming off three straight single - digit scoring outings . Bojan Bogdanovic contributed a solid 13 points and six rebounds , while Jarrett Jack , who was only able to muster two points but who did dish out nine assists , exited the game late in the third quarter with what is believed to be a right knee sprain at a minimum . Jack 's right leg appeared to buckle on a fast break opportunity , and the Nets will hold out hope for the best with respect to their veteran point guard . The Nets improved to 10 - 23 but remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic Division . They now head home to face this same Celtics squad Monday in the second game of the teams ' home - and - home series . The Celtics struggled to find the basket all afternoon , particularly from long range . They could only manage 39 and 22 percent metrics , respectively , from the field and beyond the arc . Isaiah Thomas did lead the way with a solid 24 points , six assists , two rebounds and two steals over 36 minutes , and shot a respectable 10 - for - 22 . However , Thomas could only drain two of the nine three - point shots he attempted , and missed a 27 - footer with 14 seconds left that would have closed the Boston deficit to three at the time . The dependable Jae Crowder did pick up a technical for a scuffle with Jack , but also put up 16 points and hauled in seven boards . He also handed out three assists and recorded a pair of steals . While the other three starters could only muster single - digit scoring , Amir Johnson did supplement his seven points with 11 rebounds . Evan Turner and Marcus Smart paced the Boston reserves , who scored 41 as a group , with 12 and 11 points , respectively . Turner added seven rebounds and three assists , while Smart pitched in with three boards , an assist and three steals . Two of Smart 's thefts came in the final 19 seconds , but the Celtics were only able to convert those into two points in the form of a Turner field goal off the rebound of Thomas ' aforementioned three - point miss . Boston fell to 18 - 15 but remains in second place in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic Division . They hit the road to for another go - around with the Nets at the Barclays Center on Monday .


The Detroit Pistons ( 20 - 16 ) defeated the Boston Celtics ( 19 - 16 ) 99 - 94 on Wednesday . Detroit pulled out the impressive road victory by dominating the Celtics in the fourth quarter , an unlikely scenario considering how the Boston defense had effectively stymied them over the first three periods . The Pistons trailed 75 - 66 entering the final 12 minutes , but were able to prevail on the offensive efforts of Reggie Jackson ( nine points ) and Andre Drummond ( six points ) while turning the tables on the home team by limiting them to 19 points with outstanding defense . The Pistons were led by Jackson 's game - high 24 points , and he added six assists and a pair of rebounds . It was Jackson 's third double - digit scoring game against Boston this season , and the second of those three contests where he 's scored over 20 points . Kentavious Caldwell-Pope made it a strong night for the Detroit backcourt by tallying 20 points , four rebounds , an assist and a steal . Andre Drummond had a rare sub - par outing , managing 13 points , five rebounds , a pair of steals and a pair of blocks . Stanley Johnson was outstanding off the bench , posting an 11 - point , 10 - rebound double - double over just 23 minutes to lead the Pistons ' reserves . The Pistons improved to 20 - 16 and remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference 's Central Division . They head home to face the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday . Boston enjoyed a stellar night from their starting five , and Isaiah Thomas led the way with a 22 - point , 10 - rebound double - double , his second outstanding game against the Pistons this season . Evan Turner had another solid effort in place of Avery Bradley ( hip ) , tallying 17 points and hauling in six boards . Amir Johnson and Jae Crowder pitched in with a pair of 16 - point efforts , with the former making it a double - double by posting 11 rebounds , and the latter adding four rebounds and a pair of steals . Kelly Olynyk contributed 10 points , five rebounds and four assists to round things out for the front - line players , and Jared Sullinger led the reserves with eight points . The Celtics fell to 19 - 16 and remain in second place in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic Division . They head to Chicago to take on the Bulls on Thursday .


The Boston Celtics ( 20 - 19 ) held on through a tight fourth quarter to earn a home win over the Indiana Pacers ( 22 - 17 ) Wednesday night at TD Garden , 103 - 94 . The final period featured three ties and three lead changes as the two teams remained within four points of each other until Boston took a 99 - 94 lead on an Isaiah Thomas layup with 31 seconds remaining . The Celtics scored the game 's final 12 points to foil a Pacers comeback attempt . Thomas scored a game - high 28 points behind a sharp 4 - 6 three - point shooting night , and he added four rebounds and three assists . Jae Crowder poured in 25 on a ruthlessly efficient 11 - 15 shooting night as he added three three - pointers of his own . The Celtics were spreading the ball around , as they recorded assists on 24 of their 40 made baskets and had four players with at least three dimes . Paul George led the Pacers with 23 points , but he shot a poor 7 - 20 from the floor and turned the ball over five times . Ian Mahinmi mustered a double - double with 10 points and 10 rebounds . The Pacers just could n't overcome their poor shooting , though , as they shot a brutal 5 - 30 from the three - point line ( 17 percent ) , including an 0 - 9 night from C.J . Miles . The Pacers have lost two of three and will look to turn it around Friday at home against Washington . Boston snapped a four - game losing streak and will continue a homestand against the Suns .


The Boston Celtics ( 21 - 19 ) defeated the Phoenix Suns ( 13 - 28 ) 117 - 103 on Friday . If the Celtics could get balanced efforts like these across their roster on a consistent basis , they would likely sport an even better record . Virtually every Boston player seemed to be hitting on all cylinders Friday , with seven managing double - digit scoring . They also received a double - double and a triple - double from Jared Sullinger and Marcus Smart , respectively , and outperformed the visitors in every major offensive and defensive category . The Celtics cruised to a 68 - 47 halftime lead , before finishing things out in the second half for their largest margin of victory since Dec. 22 against the Timberwolves . The Suns ' leading scorer came from the bench , as Mirza Teletovic continued his solid stretch of offensive play . The power forward posted 22 points , two rebounds and an assist over 21 minutes , his seventh consecutive double - digit scoring performance . Brandon Knight was tops among the starters , collecting 16 points , four assists , two steals and a block . T.J. Warren and Sonny Weems were two more solid contributors off the bench , amassing 13 and 10 points , respectively . The latter was particularly proficient across the stat sheet , adding six rebounds , five assists and a pair of steals . Markieff Morris , back in the starting lineup , tallied nine points , nine rebounds , four assists and a steal . The Suns fell to 13 - 28 and remain in fourth place in the Western Conference 's Pacific Division . They now head to Minnesota to face off with the Timberwolves on Sunday . Like the visitors , a reserve , Kelly Olynyk , spearheaded the Celtics ' attack , pouring in 21 points and hauling in nine rebounds . He added an assist , three steals and a block . Isaiah Thomas was productive against his former team , tallying 19 points , five assists and two rebounds . Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder posted a pair of 17 - point efforts , with the former supplementing his scoring with seven rebounds , three assists and a pair of steals , and the latter hauling in six boards , five assists , three steals and a pair of blocks . Sullinger 's contributions consisted of 11 points , 10 rebounds and a pair of assists . Amir Johnson rounded out the starters ' productive evening with 13 points , five rebounds , two assists and a steal , while Smart stuffed the stat sheet by registering 10 points , 11 rebounds , 11 assists , a pair of steals and a pair of blocks in a stellar performance off the bench . The Celtics improved to 21 - 19 and remain in second place in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic Division . They now head to Washington to take on the Wizards in a Saturday night showdown .


The Boston Celtics ( 24 - 21 ) defeated the Chicago Bulls ( 24 - 19 ) 110 - 101 on Friday . The contest turned out to be closer than would have appeared at halftime , when the Celtics held a 64 - 49 lead . Spearheaded by strong performances from their top players , the Bulls mounted an offensive charge , particularly in the third period . Chicago 's guard duo of Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler impressively found success against one of the stingier backcourt defenses in the league , with the pair tallying 27 and 28 points , respectively . However , the home team benefited from balanced production from their starters , and timely offense from their bench , to pull away late and secure the victory . Butler supplemented his game - high scoring total with 14 rebounds , three assists and a pair of steals . Rose added seven rebounds and three assists to his stat line . Pau Gasol bounced back from a one - point effort against the Warriors on Wednesday to post a double - double , totaling 18 points , 11 rebounds and three assists . Tony Snell ( two points ) and Taj Gibson ( nine points ) were n't able to lend much support on the scoreboard , and rookie Bobby Portis led the reserves with eight points , three rebounds , a steal and a block . Despite the loss , the Bulls remain in second place in the Eastern Conference 's Central Division . They head to Cleveland for a Saturday night showdown with the Cavaliers . Boston was led by Isaiah Thomas ' 22 points , five assists , three rebounds and a steal . Avery Bradley was right behind him , putting together a complete effort on both sides of the ball . The Celtics ' two - guard tallied 21 points , four assists , a rebound and four steals . Jared Sullinger got the starting call at power forward with Amir Johnson out for personal reasons , and posted a stat - sheet - stuffing double - double . He collected 18 points , hauled in 12 boards , dished out five assists , and recorded three thefts and a block . Kelly Olynyk pitched in with 12 points , nine rebounds , two assists and a block . Evan Turner led the Boston bench with 10 points , five rebounds , five assists and a steal , while Marcus Smart ( eight points ) and Tyler Zeller ( seven points , five of which came in the final period ) also made important contributions . With the win , the Celtics hold on to second place in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic Division . They are scheduled to take on the Sixers in Philadelphia on Sunday evening , after the game was rescheduled due to the winter storm affecting the Northeast .


The Boston Celtics ( 26 - 21 ) secured their fourth win in a row , defeating the visiting Denver Nuggets ( 17 - 29 ) 111 - 103 on Wednesday . Boston led by as much as 20 , comfortably winning their fourth in what has now been a string of victories for the young and rising team . Avery Bradley was the shining light on Brad Stevens ' deep squad on Wednesday , going for 27 points inculding 21 in the first half . Bradley , who has gained a reputation as a solid perimeter defender , also tacked on four steals . The Celtics ' ball movement as a team was noteworthy , with the squad recording 29 total assists . Points in the paint remained fairly even despite a 5 - rebound advantage for Denver on the night . Denver has had a season marked by extremely high highs and unfortunately low lows , and the team that has dealt losses to powerhouses like Golden State was forced to add yet another tally to their growing loss column . The Nuggets managed to stay with Boston the entire game , losing by single - digits in the end . Sixth man Will Barton continued to provide a spark for Denver off the bench , scoring 23 points and hitting 3 three - pointers on the night . Power forward Kenneth Faried also showed off the tenacious rebounding that earned him his `` Manimal `` nickname , recording a 15 - point , 15 - rebound double - double . The Nuggets are scheduled for a back - to - back , and will travel to Washington on Thurday to take on the Wizards . Boston will continue its homestand on Friday , playing host to the faltering Orlando Magic .


The Boston Celtics ( 27 - 21 ) defeated the visiting Orlando Magic ( 20 - 25 ) , 113 - 94 , on Friday night at TD Garden . The Celtics won every quarter en route to their season - high fifth straight win . On the other hand the Magic 's woes continue as their losing streak is now at eight games . The Magic were one game ahead of the Celtics before the new year , but since the calendar changed Orlando has gone 1 - 12 , while Boston has steadily improved . The Celtics ' bench was phenomenal , contributing 62 points to the victory . Marcus Smart and Kelly Olynyk both chipped in 16 points , while Evan Turner finished with 15 and Jonas Jerebko with 13 , all off the bench . As for the starters , Jared Sullinger hit a double - double with 11 points and 11 rebounds , while Isaiah Thomas tallied 14 points and eight assists . As a team Boston shot a solid 50 percent from the field . Defense however has been the story for the Celtics , who have been forcing opponents to a league - leading average of 17 turnovers per game . They forced 16 turnovers in this win . The Magic struggled shooting , hitting only 40 percent of their field goals . They managed only 17 assists and gave up 16 turnovers against the gritty Boston defense . On the bright side , six players scored in double digits for Orlando . Nikola Vucevic was the high - point man with 14 , along with eight rebounds and four assists , in 29 minutes . Aaron Gordon finished with 12 points , nine rebounds and two assists , in 26 minutes , while Shabazz Napier chipped in 13 points , three assists and two rebounds , in 17 minutes off the bench . This was the first of a home - and - home set between these two teams . They will face off again in Orlando on Sunday , where the Magic will look to end their losing streak .


The surging Boston Celtics ( 28 - 22 ) defeated the Detroit Pistons ( 26 - 24 ) 102 - 95 on Wednesday at TD Garden . Under coach Brad Stevens , the young Celtics have exceeded many preseason predictions to this point in the season . Boston holds the league 's second - best defensive rating , and currently remains tied with Atlanta for the third seed in the Eastern Conference . Wednesday 's win over Detroit marked the Celtics ' seventh victory in eight games . First-time All-Star Isaiah Thomas once again led the Celtics in scoring on Wednesday , scoring 17 points while also leading the team with seven assists . Guard Avery Bradley , meanwhile , scored 15 of his own to go with four rebounds and three assists . Backup Evan Turner provided another strong backcourt performance off the bench , dropping in 14 points , six rebounds , and five assists . Detroit , on the other hand , has dropped three of their last four contests . The team struggled to get it going from the field , shooting just 38 percent as a unit . Forward Marcus Morris went just 4 - for - 17 on the night , while rookie Stanley Johnson also struggled , going 4 - for - 13 . Big man Andre Drummond , meanwhile , continued to expand upon his league leading double - double total , recording 16 points and 13 rebounds in Boston . Boston will travel to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers on Friday . Meanwhile , Detroit will host the Knicks on Thursday for the second half of their back - to - back .


The Boston Celtics ( 31 - 22 ) earned a home win Sunday over the Sacramento Kings ( 21 - 30 ) at TD Garden , 128 - 119 . Sacramento scored the game 's first four points , but the Celtics immediately rattled off a 90 run to take a lead they never relinquished . Boston scored 46 points in a frantic first quarter and was brilliant offensively all day , as they shot a sharp 56 percent from the field and 55 percent from three . Boston 's starting backcourt powered the Celtics offense , as Avery Bradley led the team with 25 points ( 9 - 16 FG , 6 - 7 3PT ) and Isaiah Thomas ( 8 - 18 FG ) added 22 . Jared Sullinger ( 10 - 13 FG , 21 points ) and Tyler Zeller ( 6 - 8 FG , 17 points ) gave Boston an efficient inside attack as well . DeMarcus Cousins led the Kings with a game - high 31 points and added seven rebounds and six assists . Rajon Rondo scored 14 points and dished 15 assists and Willie Cauley-Stein scored 15 behind sharp 7 - 9 shooting from the field . But the Kings had no defensive answer for Boston and their brilliant shooting night . Boston will take to the road for a matchup Tuesday in Milwaukee . Sacramento 's road trip continues Monday against Cleveland .


Two of the NBA 's hottest teams met on Wednesday night as the Boston Celtics ( 32 - 23 ) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers ( 35 - 18 ) in overtime , 139 - 134 . For Boston , the win was the second half of a back - to - back after Milwaukee snapped the team 's four - game win streak on Tuesday . Despite the demoralizing last - second loss , the Celtics were able to come out and play against the contending Los Angeles Clippers the next day . It proved to be a point guard battle , as All-Star Isaiah Thomas led the team with a season - high 36 points while also dishing out 11 assists . Big man Jared Sullinger also had one of his strongest outings of the season , scoring 21 points on 10 - for - 15 shooting while also pulling down 11 rebounds and notching seven assists . While they got the win , the normally defense - oriented team allowed 134 points and let the Clippers convert 52 percent of shots from the field . Los Angeles had won seven of their last eight headed into Wednesday 's contest . The absence of superstar Blake Griffin ( hand ) has n't stopped the Clippers from becoming one of the hottest teams in the NBA since the start of the new year . Much of their success can be attributed to veteran Chris Paul , who led the team again on Wednesday with 35 points and dished out 13 assists . Guard J.J. Redick also had a big night , scoring 27 points . Both teams will enjoy a long rest as the NBA heads into the All-Star break this weekend .


The Boston Celtics ( 34 - 25 ) outlasted the Milwaukee Bucks ( 24 - 34 ) for an Eastern Conference home win Thursday Night at TD Garden , 112 - 107 . The Celtics led wire - to - wire as they built up a 10 - point lead in the first quarter , a lead they extended to 17 at one point before halftime . The Bucks managed to get it within single digits for most of the fourth quarter as the won the final period 34 - 24 , but it was n't enough to overcome their slow start . As close as it became towards the end , the Bucks never managed to get it within one possession . Isaiah Thomas poured in a game - high 27 points ( 10 - 21 FG , 2 - 10 3PT , 5 - 8 FT ) and dished seven assists to lead the Celtics offense . Jae Crowder had an efficient 20 points ( 8 - 10 FG , 2 - 3 3PT ) in just 23 minutes and Jared Sullinger notched a double - double with 14 points ( 5 - 11 FG ) and 10 rebounds . The Celtics shot just 5 - 23 ( 22 percent ) from three but dominated from two - point range , converting on 59 percent of their inside shots . Jabari Parker was one of three Bucks to crack 20 points , as he led the team with 22 points ( 8 - 16 FG , 6 - 7 FT ) . Khris Middleton added 21 ( 8 - 15 FG , 1 - 4 3PT ) and Greg monroe scored 20 ( 9 - 13 FG ) to go with eight rebounds , four assists and two blocks in 34 minutes off the bench . The Bucks shot a brutal 4 - 15 ( 27 percent ) from three - point range and could n't capitalize on Boston 's poor shooting from deep . The Bucks next face the Pistons in Milwaukee on Saturday . The Celtics continue their homestand with a Saturday matchup against the Heat .


The Boston Celtics ( 35 - 25 ) defeated the Miami Heat ( 32 - 26 ) 101 - 89 , Saturday afternoon at TD Garden . This clash of top Eastern teams featured Miami 's top - five defense , which holds opponents to an average of 97 points per game versus Boston 's top - five offense , which scores an average of 106 points per game , including 118 over their last seven . Boston had the advantage at home , where they have now won 10 in a row and boast a record of 19 - 10 . The Heat now sit two games behind the third place Celtics and have gone 3 - 2 in their last five games . The Celtics only hit 40 percent of their shots but supplemented that by hitting 18 - 22 free throws and forcing 20 Miami turnovers . They also moved the ball very well , leading to 26 assists on 39 field goals . Nine players logged 19 or more minutes for Boston and six of them scored in double digits , while adding at least two rebounds or assists . Marcus Smart led the team in scoring with 15 points ( 5 - 9 FG , 1 - 2 3Pt , 4 - 5 FT ) , six rebounds and three assists , in 27 minutes off the bench . Jared Sullinger double - doubled with 12 points ( 5 - 13 FG , 2 - 2 FT ) and 12 rebounds , along with four assists , three blocks and two steals , in 24 minutes . Evan Turner also filled the stat line with 14 points ( 6 - 12 FG , 2 - 3 FT ) , nine assists , six rebounds and one steal , in 28 minutes . The Heat got out to a quick start but could not hang on . They held the Celtics , who have averaged 118 points over their last seven games , to only 101 in this one by rebounding , blocking and contesting shots and holding the Celtics to 40 percent from the field . However , Miami could not find the offense it needed to win . Goran Dragic led the way in scoring with 21 points ( 9 - 15 FG , 1 - 4 3Pt , 2 - 2 FT ) , along with five rebounds and five assists , in 34 minutes . Dwyane Wade chipped in 19 points ( 7 - 19 FG , 0 - 1 3Pt , 5 - 7 FT ) , five rebounds and three assists , in 33 minutes , while Hassan Whiteside tallied a double - double in 32 minutes off the bench , with 13 points ( 5 - 9 FG , 3 - 3 FT ) and 15 rebounds , along with an emphatic eight blocks . The Heat will head straight to New York , where they take on the Knicks on Sunday . The Celtics host the Jazz on Monday .


The Boston Celtics ( 36 - 25 ) earned a home win Monday at TD Garden over the Utah Jazz ( 28 - 31 ) , 100 - 95 . The Jazz opened up a double - digit lead early in the second quarter and threatened to pull away , but the Celtics trimmed the lead to three by halftime . Neither team built up a lead greater than six points in a back - and - forth second half , and nine of the game 's 10 lead changes came in the fourth quarter . It was the Celtics ' ability to get to the line that put them over the top - - they attempted 12 more free throws than the Jazz and finished with an eight - point advantage from the line as six different Celtics earned at least three shots from the charity stripe . Jae Crowder finished with a game - high 22 points for the Celtics on an ultra - efficient shooting night ( 7 - 12 FG , 3 - 5 3PT , 5 - 7 FT ) . Avery Bradley ( 7 - 13 FG ) and Isaiah Thomas ( 8 - 19 FG ) added 18 points apiece , and Thomas finished with a game - high nine assists . The Celtics did n't have their deep shots working ( 6 - 18 , 33 percent from three ) but their passing was crisp , as they recorded 27 assists against just nine turnovers . The Jazz got a pair of double - doubles from starting big men Rudy Gobert ( 12 points , 12 rebounds ) and Derrick Favors ( 11 points , 16 rebounds ) . Shelvin Mack scored 18 points ( 8 - 13 FG , 2 - 3 3PT ) , tied for the team lead with Trey Lyles ( 8 - 18 FG ) , who also grabbed 10 rebounds in just 23 minutes off the bench . The Jazz shot a putrid 38 - 101 ( 38 percent ) and just 7 - 24 ( 29 percent ) from deep . They just could n't get their shots off against Boston 's deep front line , which recorded a mammoth 13 blocks on 77 two - point attempts ( 17 percent ) . The Jazz continue their road trip Wednesday against the Raptors . Boston continues its homestand Wednesday as they host the Trail Blazers .


Two of the NBA 's hottest teams met at TD Garden on Wednesday night , as the Boston Celtics ( 37 - 25 ) crushed the Portland Trail Blazers ( 33 - 29 ) 116 - 93 . All-Star Isaiah Thomas took charge for Boston , leading the game with 30 points . It was an all - around effort , however , as six Boston players reached double - digit scoring on the night . The Celtics managed to hold on to the ball exceedingly well on Wednesday , turning the ball over just five times as a team . Boston also made a huge impact on the boars , pulling down 57 rebounds . Sophomore guard Marcus Smart provided a spark off the bench , scoring 15 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in 31 minutes . The Celtics have now won 10 of their last 13 outings , continuing the level of play that earned coach Brad Stevens Eastern Conference Coach of the Month honors for February . Portland , meanwhile , had won 9 of their last 10 coming into Wednesday 's meeting . Coach Terry Stotts was named Stevens ' Western Conference counterpart for February , and the Blazers have quickly shot up to sixth in the Western Conference standings . The team simply could not get it done in Boston , however , as they held sizable disadvantages in turnovers and rebounding . Only three players scored in double digits , with guards Damian Lillard and C.J . McCollum predictably leading the way with 20 and 17 respectively . The Celtics will host the Knicks on Friday . Portland , meanwhile , will be visiting the equally - hot Raptors in Toronto .


The Boston Celtics ( 38 - 25 ) defeated the visiting New York Knicks ( 25 - 38 ) 105 - 104 , Friday night at TD Garden . This was truly a battle of two teams headed in opposite directions as the Celtics have now won 11 of their last 14 games and five straight , while the Knicks have lost 12 of 14 and three in a row . With this win the Celtics extend their home winning streak to an impressive 13 games and their home record to 22 - 10 overall . Boston has been averaging 112 points per game in its last 12 at home and although came up short of that in this one , mounted an impressive rally to overcome an eight - point deficit with four minutes left in the fourth quarter . The Celtics were still down by one when they called time - out with 21 seconds left . Avery Bradley then converted a tough , driving lay - up to go up by one with 17 seconds left and ultimately take the win against a stubborn Knicks squad . Isaiah Thomas was a beast for the Celtics as he led the way with a game - high 32 points ( 9 - 15 FG , 2 - 5 3Pt , 12 - 13 3Pt ) , along with eight assists , three rebounds and two steals , in 35 minutes . Jae Crowder was solid with 20 points ( 9 - 19 FG , 1 - 6 3Pt , 1 - 4 FT ) , eight rebounds and two assists , in 35 minutes , while Evan Turner chipped in 21 points ( 10 - 19 FG , 1 - 2 FT ) , eight rebounds and three assists , in 32 minutes off the bench . Boston shot a poor 4 - 20 from distance but managed to hit 45 percent from the field overall . Carmelo Anthony dropped 30 points ( 13 - 27 FG , 2 - 8 3Pt , 2 - 2 FT ) , along with seven rebounds , and four assists , in 40 minutes , but it was not enough , as he could not convert his final shot of the game , which would have been for the win . Robin Lopez tallied a double - double with 12 points and 12 rebounds , while Arron Afflalo chipped in 17 points . The Knicks shot a respectable 39 percent from deep and 45 percent overall , limited their turnovers to 10 and assisted on 22 of their 42 field goals in the game but with the loss fall to 2 - 7 under head coach Kurt Rambis . The Knicks head straight back to New York to host the Pistons on Saturday , while the Celtics head straight to Cleveland to face the Cavs on Saturday .


The Boston Celtics ( 39 - 27 ) took care of the shorthanded Memphis Grizzlies ( 38 - 26 ) in a 116 - 96 win on Wednesday . This game appeared to be lopsided on paper and that proved to be the case on the floor . The Celtics really took it to the Grizzlies in the second half , as they outscored them 64 - 4 ` .The key for Boston was the defense , as they held Memphis to 38 percent shooting and drew 19 turnovers in the win . Memphis won their last game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in a similar circumstance , but this was the result that was much more likely with such a limited roster . Once again , Mike Conley , Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol missed this game and it clearly hampered the Grizzlies . JaMychal Green got the start for Randolph and double - doubled in a 17 - point , 13 - rebound performance . Jarrell Martin and Vince Carter both played well off the bench , as they went for 33 points combined , despite much of that coming in garbage time . Mario Chalmers tallied 11 points , five rebounds and five assists before leaving with what looked like a leg injury after 21 minutes of play . On deck for Memphis is a matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday . Th Celtics came into this game as a double - digit favorite and did n't disappoint . Seven players scored in double - figures for Boston , with 13 players playing in total . The team combined for 26 assists on 41 made shots . Isaiah Thomas led the team with 22 points in the win , despite playing under 30 minutes . Evan Turner continued his good form off the bench , as he amassed 16 points , four rebounds and eight assists in the win . Boston 's next game will be on Friday , when they host the Houston Rockets .


The Houston Rockets ( 33 - 32 ) defeated the host Boston Celtics ( 39 - 27 ) 102 - 98 , Friday evening at TD Garden . The Rockets entered looking to improved on their three - game lead over Utah for eighth in the West and did just that as they edged the Boston Celtics down the stretch . The Rockets have now won three straight on the road , including victories against top eastern teams , Toronto and now Boston . The Celtics had won their previous 14 games at TD Garden and had won seven of nine against the West coming into this game , but the Rockets managed to defy those trends as they snuck away with the win . Houston struggled shooting from deep in this one , hitting only 5 - 26 from long range and gave up 18 turnovers on the game ; but on the other hand managed to keep the Celtics to just 37 percent shooting from the field . James Harden led all scorers as he finished with 32 points ( 9 - 19 FG , 1 - 6 3Pt , 13 - 15 FT ) , along with four assists , three rebounds , one steal and one block . However , Harden also gave up six turnovers in his 36 minutes on the court . Michael Beasley was huge in his second game with the Rockets , providing a solid boost off the bench . Beasley tallied 18 points ( 9 - 19 FG ) and eight rebounds , in only 15 minutes , as the second highest scorer for the Houston . Dwight Howard was solid in the middle , with 12 points and 12 rebounds , in 35 minutes . Despite playing at home where they have had great success , the Celtics were not able to gather much momentum in this one . The Celtics averaged 112 points per game throughout their previous 14 home victories but were held much below that mark by a hungry Houston team . Meanwhile , Isaiah Thomas was not phased as he tallied a team - high 30 points ( 10 - 21 FG , 5 - 9 3Pt , 5 - 6 FT ) , along with two assists and two rebounds , in 38 minutes . Jared Sullinger had a big night as well , with 24 points ( 9 - 18 FG , 1 - 1 3Pt , 5 - 7 FT ) , 12 rebounds , four assists and four steals , in 31 minutes , while Avery Bradley chipped in 16 points , in 38 minutes . However , other than Thomas , Sullinger and Bradley , the rest of the Celtics team accounted for only 28 points . The Celtics will now have a few days rest before they visit Indiana to play the Pacers on Tuesday . The Rockets will be back in action on Saturday , as they wind - up their current four - game road trip in Charlotte .


The Oklahoma City Thunder ( 46 - 22 ) took down the Boston Celtics ( 39 - 29 ) in style on Wednesday , winning 130 - 109 . In an unsurprising turn of events , All-Stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook led the push from OKC . The pair scored 28 and 24 respectively , with Durant also dishing out a team - high nine assists . Westbrook , meanwhile , had an uncharacteristically strong shooting night , sinking four three - pointers . The dynamic duo has been doing it all this season , with both averaging over 24 points and nearing the top of the league in all measures of performance and efficiency . OKC remains third in the West despite a late - season push from the rising Los Angeles Clippers . Boston has now lost four of its last five outings after a strong 9 - 3 showing in February . The Celtics are without standout small forward Jae Crowder , and the wing 's absence has been felt over the last week . While All-Star Isaiah Thomas contributed 29 points , the Celtics had a poor shooting night on the whole , going just 43 percent from the field . Forward Amir Johnson also had a big night , recording an 11 - point , 12 - rebound double - double with five assists as well . The Thunder will play in Philadelphia on Friday night , while the Celtics will travel to Toronto .


The Boston Celtics ( 41 - 30 ) earned a home win against the Orlando Magic ( 29 - 41 ) Monday night at TD Garden , 107 - 96 . Five Celtics finished in double figures and three went over 20 points as the Celtics offense largely had its way with the Orlando defense . Boston shot a robust 33 - 63 ( 52 percent ) from inside the arc and shot 20 - 24 from the free throw line , good for a seven - point free throw advantage over the Magic . The Orlando offense , meanwhile , was stagnant , as they assisted on just 15 baskets and turned the ball over 11 times . Isaiah Thomas 's 28 points led all scorers , and he added seven assists , five rebounds and a steal . Avery Bradley scored 22 points ( 9 - 15 FG ) and added nine rebounds , and Kelly Olynyk scored 22 of his own in just 21 minutes off the bench behind a hugely efficient shooting night ( 7 - 12 FG , 4 - 6 3PT , 4 - 4 FT ) . Boston shot just 7 - 22 ( 32 percent ) from the three - point line but was sharp enough in the rest of their offensive game to overcome the poor outside shooting . Victor Oladipo 's 25 points led the Magic . The point guard shot 10 - 17 from the field and added a team - high eight rebounds and five steals . Evan Fournier , Aaron gordon and Andrew Nicholson were the only other Magic players to top double - digits , as they scored 13 points apiece . Orlando shot just 42 percent from the floor and a brutal 5 - 18 ( 28 percent ) from three - point land , as they never were able to generate the offense to compete in this one . The Magic head to Detroit for a Wednesday matchup against the Pistons . The Celtics continue their homestand Wednesday against the Raptors .


The Boston Celtics ( 42 - 30 ) defeated their divisional rival Toronto Raptors ( 48 - 22 ) 91 - 79 on Wednesday at TD Garden . The Celtics have now won three straight contests after snapping a four - game slump in the early part of the month . After falling from the third spot in the East , Boston finds itself clammoring to maintain homecourt advantage for the first round of the playoffs . A win over one of the powerhouse teams in the conference on Wednesday should instill confidence , however , as the Celtics managed to control the game in the second half . All-Star and leading Boston scorer Isaiah Thomas once again topped the box score in points for the Celtics , scoring 23 on the night . However , the true difference maker for the Celtics was former Raptor Amir Johnson , who delivered 11 points on 5 - for - 6 shooting while pulling down 14 rebounds and dishing out five assists . Toronto , meanwhile , is looking to take hold of the top spot in the Eastern Conference down the stretch . The Raptors remain within striking difference of the Cleveland Cavaliers for the conference 's first seed . However , Wednesday 's 35 percent shooting performance did them no favors , as Boston was able to handily walk away with the victory . Rest for All-Star Kyle Lowry hurt the team 's play , as only star guard DeMar DeRozan scored more than 13 on the night . Shoddy 11 - for - 20 shooting at the free - throw line put the nail in the coffin for the underhanded team . Both teams will head West for their next matchup , with Toronto visiting Houston on Friday and Boston taking on Phoenix the next day .


The Boston Celtics ( 46 - 32 ) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans ( 29 - 49 ) on Wednesday , 104 - 97 . The Celtics got all they could handle from a game Pelicans squad that came in to the contest with a revamped lineup . Into the starting five stepped James Ennis for the first time in a Pelicans uniform , while Omer Asik and Toney Douglas made their returns to the first unit as well . Decimated by injuries in the second half of the season , New Orleans hung tough throughout four quarters against a Boston team that is still jockeying for playoff positioning . The home team was finally able to pull away in the final minute on a clutch block by Amir Johnson on what looked like a gim me layup opportunity for Luke Babbitt , and a subsequent three - pointer by Avery Bradley . The Pelicans ' effort was paced by Douglas , who managed 19 points , seven rebounds , three assists and a steal . Ennis was next among the starters , tallying 13 points , four rebounds , an assist , and two steals . Ajinca was the third and final member of the starting five to record double - digit points , supplying 10 points , eight boards and three assists . A highly productive night for the bench was spearheaded by the effort of Tim Frazier , who registered 18 points , six assists , five rebounds , two steals and a block . Babbitt contributed 16 points , eight rebounds and four assists , while Jordan Hamilton collected 14 points , six rebounds and an assist . New Orleans are in last place in the Western Conference 's Southwest Division . They 're home to face the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night . Boston was led by another remarkable effort from Isaiah Thomas , who posted 32 points , eight assists , four rebounds and two steals . Jae Crowder followed with 14 points , three rebounds , an assist and two blocks . Bradley contributed 13 points , six boards , three assists and three steals . Marcus Smart led the bench before leaving with a facial injury , supplying 11 points , four rebounds , four assists , two steals and two blocks . The Celtics remain in second place in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic Division , and are currently slotted in the fourth seed . They 're home against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night .


The Boston Celtics ( 47 - 32 ) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks ( 32 - 47 ) 124 - 109 on Friday . The Celtics came in to the game looking to continue piling up victories and potentially improve their playoff seeding . With three remaining games after Friday versus the three teams ahead and behind them in the conference - - - the Hawks , Heat and Hornets - - Boston knew it needed to keep winning to have a chance to maximize its first round matchup . They were able to erase an 11 - point first - half deficit , and take a seven - point lead into intermission that they never surrendered . Milwaukee was led by Giannis Antetokounmpo , who tallied 27 points , seven boards , seven assists , a steal and a block . Jabari Parker followed with 18 points , five rebounds and an assist . Rashad Vaughn contributed 12 points , three assists , two rebounds , two steals and a block in another start in place of Jerryd Bayless . Greg Monroe supplied 10 points , eight rebounds and four assists . His backup , Mason Plumlee , outperformed him off the bench , leading the reserves with 16 points , five boards , an assist and three steals over 20 minutes . The Bucks remain in last place in the Eastern Conference 's Central Division . They head to Philadelphia to take on the Sixers on Sunday . Boston 's attack was spearheaded by Tyler Zeller off the bench , as he tied a career - high 26 points and also contributed three rebounds , two assists and four blocks over just 25 minutes . Isaiah Thomas was next , leading the starting five with 20 points , three assists , two rebounds and two blocks . Avery Bradley pitched in with 16 points , two rebounds and two assists . Jared Sullinger supplied 15 points , five boards and three assists . Kelly Olynyk was highly productive in a reserve role as well , totaling 16 points , seven rebounds , an assist and two steals . The Celtics continue in second place in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic Division . They head to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Saturday .


The Charlotte Hornets ( 47 - 34 ) defeated the Boston Celtics ( 47 - 34 ) 114 - 100 on Monday . Both teams came into the game neck - and - neck for the fifth and sixth seeds in the Eastern Conference , with opportunity to still better or worsen their playoff positioning . The Hornets brought Al Jefferson back into the starting lineup in place of Cody Zeller ( chest ) , and he responded with a vintage performance . However , it was a standout effort from Jeremy Lin in 39 minutes off the bench that sparked Charlotte . The Hornets turned the game around on a massive 31 - 3 run over the final eight minutes of the second quarter , and hung on to secure the tough , late - season road win . The Hornets were led by Lin 's 25 points , which he supplemented with seven rebounds , five assists , five steals and a block . Kemba Walker paced the starting five with 18 points , six assists , five rebounds , a steal and a block . Jefferson was next with a 16 - point , 11 - rebound double - double that also included two assists , two steals and a block . Marvin Williams matched Jefferson 's point total but could only add a rebound , an assist , a steal and two blocks . Troy Daniels also scored in double digits off the bench , tallying 11 points and a rebound . Charlotte is in third place in the Eastern Conference 's Southeast Division , one game behind the division - leading Atlanta Hawks . They 're also slotted in the sixth seed for the moment , and wrap up the season against the Orlando Magic at home on Wednesday . The Celtics were led by a pair of 17 - point efforts from their starting backcourt of Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley . The former also supplied four assists , two rebounds and a steal , while the latter registered two rebounds and an assist . No other starter managed double - digit scoring , but the bench saw four players accomplish the feat . The reserves were paced by Evan Turner , who contributed 15 points , seven boards and an assist . Kelly Olynyk followed with 14 points , 11 rebounds and an assist . R.J. Hunter pitched in with 11 points , three rebounds and a steal , while Marcus Smart compiled 10 points , three rebounds and three assists . Boston remains in second place in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic Division , and still has a hold of the fifth seed for the moment . They close out their season on Wednesday night at home against the Miami Heat .


Despite trailing by as much as 26 , the Boston Celtics ( 48 - 34 ) took down the Miami Heat ( 48 - 34 ) on Wednesday night , 98 - 88 . With the matchup 's conclusion , the Celtics will own the five seed in the East , while the Heat will hold third . Careful care of the ball proved key for Boston , as the team turned it over just seven times on the night . All-Star Isaiah Thomas was the team 's leading scorer , pouring in 21 on the night . Getting to the line also helped Boston 's case , as the Celtics hit 19 of 22 free - throw attempts on the night . With the win , the young and rising Celtics will hold fifth in the East , being forced to take on last year 's one seed Atlanta Hawks on the road in the first round of the postseason . Miami , meanwhile , is able to maintain the three seed in the East despite the loss . An unprecedented four - way tie leaves Miami top dog , as the team will face the Charlotte Hornets in the first round of the playoffs . While four members of the starting unit scored at least 17 points on Wednesday , the Miami bench contributed just nine points in total . It was a big night for NBA blocks leader Hassan Whiteside , who contributed 19 points and characteristically swatted four shots . Midseason acquisition Joe Johnson also had 19 and took a team - high 19 shots on the night .


The Los Angeles Clippers ( 20 ) protected their home court with a win over the Dallas Mavericks ( 1 - 1 ) on Thursday night . Thanks to the Mavericks ' pursuit of DeAndre Jordan in the off - season the resulting `` tug of war `` between the teams over the star center was quite entertaining . Jordan eventually proved his loyalty by staying with the Clippers and he also proved his worth in Thursday night 's game with a strong performance . DeAndre Jordan owned the paint with 15 rebounds , four blocked shots , and of course , some nasty dunks . It was Blake Griffin who led the Clippers offensively with 26 points and 10 rebounds , with Austin Rivers chipping in 14 points on 5 - 10 shooting . Rivers ' participation was questionable due to his cushion - throwing antics during Wednesday 's game , which resulted in a fine but no suspension . Meanwhile , Jamal Crawford scored a cool 15 points on 6 - for - 11 from the field in only 17 minutes . Two of the Mavericks big offseason pickups , Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews , did n't play Thursday night . Williams was out with a non - serious knee contusion , while coach Rick Carlisle decided to rest Matthews on the second night of a back - to - back for precautionary reasons . Matthews is still recovering from surgery on his Achillies in the offseason . Dirk Nowitzki did n't seem to be bothered by playing two games in as many days , contributing 16 points on 5 - for - 15 shooting , in 25 minutes . John Jenkins added 17 points for the Mavericks , while J.J. Barea scored 12 points and dished out nine assists . The Mavericks were lacking offense , and in addition to Williams and Matthews , the team missed the presence of Chandler Parsons ( knee ) . Parsons will hopefully be ready to go for Sunday . With a strong start to the season , the Clippers have a day of rest before hosting the Sacramento Kings on Saturday . Dallas waits until Sunday to face the Los Angeles Lakers back at the Staples Center .


The Los Angeles Clippers ( 30 ) are on a roll , winning 114 - 109 over the Sacramento Kings ( 1 - 2 ) notching their third straigh victory . This was a good close game with 10 lead changes . The Cippers had a dominant second quarter , out - scoring the Kings by 11 . However it still went down to the wire as Marco Bellinelli brought the Kings within three points with 15 seconds remaining . At the end of the day it was Blake Griffin who led the way for the Clippers yet again . Griffin filled it up with 37 points on 13 - 22 shooting , also grabbing nine rebounds and dishing six assists . Griffin had plenty of help though , Chris Paul added 17 points , six rebounds and a big 11 assists , while DeAndre Jordan brought it big time with 15 points , 18 rebounds and a whopping seven blocks . J.J. Redick scored 23 points on a hot 8 - 9 shooting , 2 - 2 from deep . Griffin , Jordan , Redick and Paul all played big minutes , each over 35 . Doc Rivers is relying heavily on these guys and is keeping his bench players to limited roles . Sacramento fielded a balanced attack , with six players scoring in double digits and although they played well , it just was not enough to silence the Clippers . The Kings lacked offensive efficiency shooting only 42 percent from the field , Rudy Gay having a part in that with his 8 - 23 shooting , resulting in 20 points . On the bright side Gay did pull down nine rebounds . Rookie Willie Cauley-Stein had a respectable outing with eight points on 3 - 5 shooting , with nine rebounds , three steals and a block . Rajon Rondo shot well , going 9 - 17 on his way to 21 points to go along with eight assists , five rebounds and two steals , although he is getting some competition for the starting point guard roll from Darren Collison off the bench , who played 35 minutes compared to Rondo 's 33 , scoring 15 points and dishing six assists . The Kings do not play until Tuesday , when they host Memphis . The Clippers play Monday , at home , versus Phoenix . Both of these should be very good games and will be an exhibition of the deep West .


The Los Angeles Clippers ( 40 ) held off thePhoenix Suns ( 2 - 2 ) on Monday en route to a 102 - 96 victory . Although Phoenix shot only 36 percent as a team , they managed to keep the game close down to the final minutes , but ultimately could not hold off the powerful Clippers . Blake Griffin continued his excellent start to the season by scoring 22 points on 8 - for - 15 shooting and grabbing 10 rebounds . Coach Doc Rivers spread the minutes around in this one , as nine players clocked in 14 minutes or more . Wesley Johnson who played only 14 minutes , but was very efficient with nine points on 4 - of - 5 shooting and three rebounds . Josh Smith provided some spark off the bench with seven points , five rebounds , three assists , and one block . Phoenix gave a good effort on Monday night , but a few instances of poor shot selection and not enough defensive muscle spelled their demise . The Suns had five players scoring double digits , including Markieff Morris with 19 points and eight rebounds , Brandon Knight with 12 points and eight assists , and Eric Bledsoe with 16 points , seven assists , four rebounds , and two steals . Tyson Chander made his presence felt and did what Phoenix brought him there to do by grabbing 17 rebounds and scoring 14 points on 7 - of - 10 shooting . Next up for the Clippers is a tough match in Golden State on Wednesday , when both teams will be looking to stay undefeated . The Suns will also be back in action on Wednesday as they host Sacramento .


The Houston Rockets defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 109 - 105 on Saturday . The Rockets made an epic 3 - 1 comeback in last seasons playoffs against the Clippers and they showed here that the comenack was no fluke by winnin a big game on the road . The demise of James Harden was well publicized last week and it was downright wrong , as he put together another huge game on Saturday . The Clippers played this game without point guard Chris Paul who was dealing with a groin injury and that clearly hampered them here in the loss . Houston started off the season with three - straight 20 - point losses , but they appear to be out of that swoon at this point with four - straight wins . They have scored 110 points or more in all four wins and that can be attributed to James Hardan taking over the offense . Harden is clearly back to top form , as he has dropped 89 points over the last two nights . This was the second half of a back - to - back and it 's a great sign for Houston to see them play so well in that scenario against a team like the Clippers . They even got to rest Dwight Howard on Friday night and that proved to be crucial for this game , as he tallied 20 points and 20 rebounds in the win . The Rockets will have a few days off and look to keep that winning - streak alive against the winless Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday , The Clippers had to play this game without their point guard Chris Paul and it was just too difficult for them to function fully without their playmaker . Austin Rivers filled in for Paul and put up 10 points and one assist in the loss . The Clippers were led Blake Griffin , who totaled 35 points , 11 rebounds and five assists in the loss . One stat that coach Doc Rivers will love is that all 10 players who played more than a single a minute in this game recorded an assist in the absence of assist - master Chris Paul . The next game on tap for the Clippers is against the struggling Memphis Grizzlies on Monday .


The Los Angeles Clippers ( 5 - 2 ) just squeezed by with a win on Monday night versus the Memphis Grizzlies ( 3 - 5 ) by a score of 94 - 92 . This gritty , grind - it - out game came right down to the wire , as Marc Gasol missed a free throw in the last few seconds that would have tied the game after a very late Grizzlies rally . Neither team had much help off the bench , as this game was primarily a battle of two of the league 's best starting frontcourts . Zach Randolph led the Grizzlies in scoring and rebounding , with 26 points and nine boards . He added four assists and three steals in 39 minutes . Gasol added 18 points , seven rebounds , and three assists . Mike Conley gave the Grizzlies good guard play with 16 points , six rebounds , five assists , and one steal , but did n't have much help in terms of backcourt scoring . Courtney Lee had only six points , but still dished five assists and grabbed three steals . Matt Barnes had a bit of a chip on his shoulder after being let go by the Clippers and played hard against his old team , tallying eight points , six rebounds , two steals and two blocks . The frontcourt combo of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan proved superior in this Western Conference showdown . Griffin had a solid game with 24 points and 12 rebounds , while Jordan scored 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds . Jordan also added four blocks . Chris Paul and J.J. Redick both contributed double - digit scoring , with Paul providing 14 points and Redick supplying 16 . Up next for Memphis will be a match with the undefeated Golden State Warriors . The Clippers will be at Dallas on Wednesday to face the Mavs .


The Los Angeles Clippers ( 6 - 4 ) took advantage of a 12 - minute dry spell from the Detroit Pistons ' ( 5 - 4 ) offense , coming back from a 17 - point deficit to win 101 - 96 . Los Angeles power forward Blake Griffin continued his dominant season , posting 34 points , eight rebounds , and nine assists , narrowly missing the triple - double . With point guard Chris Paul ( groin ) hindered by injury , Griffin has come in as the leader of the Clippers ' squad this season . Coming into Saturday 's contest , Griffin was posting season averages of 26 points , 9 rebounds , and 4 assists per game . The absence of Paul as well as shooting guard JJ Redick ( back ) allowed sixth man Jamal Crawford to slide into the starting lineup against Detroit . Crawford was electric , tallying 37 points and eight assists while shooting a perfect 10 - for - 10 from the line . While Griffin and Crawford looked dominant , the real turn of momentum occured in the second half , as the Clippers ' repeated fouling of Detroit center Andre Drummond forced coach Stan Van Gundy to pull him from the game . While Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers has been an outspoken opponent of the `` hack - a - player `` strategy , the technique worked in the Clippers ' favor on Saturday , effectively neutralizing the dominant Drummond . The 22 - year - old center 's play so far this season had earned him back - to - back Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors . Despite spending much of the final stretch on the bench , Drummond was able to record his ninth straight double - double , posting 18 points and 19 rebounds on the night . Saturday 's game brought Drummond to a total of 173 rebounds through his first nine games , making him the first player to do so since Kareem Abdul-Jabar . While Drummond provided a bright spot for the Pistons , the true story of the game was Detroit 's dismal third - quarter play . The Pistons were outscored 50 - 36 in the second half and were , at one point , kept from the basket for a full twelve minutes . Detroit will hope for a more consistent performance tomorrow as they prepare to play at the Staples Center again , this time against the Lakers . Meanwhile , the Clippers will enjoy a few days of rest as they prepare for a home game against the league - best Golden State Warriors on Thursday .


The Golden State Warriors ( 130 ) did it again on Thursday night , getting the 124 - 117 win over the Los Angeles Clippers ( 6 - 5 ) , this time at the Staples Center . The Clippers had control most of the way , holding a 10 point lead for most of the game . The Warriors cut the lead to one point early in the fourth but the Clippers quickly regained a 10 point lead with about five minutes to go . The Warriors however turned it up one more notch and went on a 25 - 8 point run in the last five minutes , including five made three pointers , to close out the game in decisive fashion . Although listed as doubtful to play Chris Paul made his return to the line - up for the Clippers and played a fantastic game . Paul finished with 35 points on 13 - 22 shooting , eight assists , four rebounds and three steals . Blake Griffin put up solid numbers with 27 points , five assists and six rebounds . Jamal Crawford , who started in place of J.J. Redick ( back spasms ) , finished with 15 points on 6 - 16 shooting , along with five rebounds and two assists . Stephen Curry continued his unbelievable start to the season with another stellar performance that hurdled his team over a formidable opponent in the Clippers . Curry finished with 40 points , 11 rebounds , four assists and three steals . Curry did however have an alarming seven turnovers . Klay Thompson backed his Splash-Bro up , adding 25 points , three rebounds and two assists . Draymond Green was yet again flirting with a triple - double as he finished with 19 points , nine assists , and six rebounds . The only other player to score double digits for the Warriors was Harrison Barnes , who contributed a big 21 points and seven rebounds . Next up for the undefeated Warriors will be a date at home with Chicago on Friday night . This will be the second night of a back - to - back for the Warriors and maybe Chicago can take advantage . The Clippers will also be in action Friday , as they visit Portland . The Clips better get their act together and recover from this loss quickly because Portland will surely be ready to steal the W .


The Toronto Raptors ( 9 - 6 ) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers ( 6 - 7 ) 91 - 80 on Sunday . Throughout a difficult start to the season that has included multi - game injuries to starters Chris Paul and J.J. Redick , the Clippers have been able to lean on Blake Griffin as a dependable source of outstanding production . Sunday , even Griffin succumbed to the malaise that currently seems to surround Los Angeles , mustering a season - low nine points , along with six rebounds , four assists and a pair of steals . He also turned the ball over a season - high six times in a forgettable performance versus a Raptors defense that had been vulernable to opposing power forwards coming into the game . Toronto enjoyed impressive contributions from every starter , with DeMarre Carroll and DeMar DeRozan leading the way with a pair of 21 - point efforts . Kyle Lowry pitched in with his second double - double of the season ( 13 points , 10 assists ) , while veteran power forward Luis Scola continued a resurgent age - 35 season with 20 points and eight rebounds . It was the second outing with 20 or more points for Scola in his last three contests . Meanwhile , Bismack Biyombo posted six points and a season - best 14 rebounds in a season - high 31 minutes of playing time . Toronto improved to 9 - 6 and remains in first place in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic Division . They head home for a date with the Cavaliers on Wednesday . The Clippers received rather pedestrian offensive efforts from other starters besides Griffin as well . Redick managed a team - high 17 points in his second game back from a back injury , while Paul and DeAndre Jordan pitched in with solid but relatively modest double - double performances . Paul poured in 13 points and dished out 11 assists , while Jordan posted 13 points and hauled in 15 boards . Paul Pierce received a start at small forward but could only muster a paltry two points and one rebound in 19 minutes on the floor . Jamal Crawford and Wesley Johnson paced the Clippers ' bench with a pair of eight - point efforts . Los Angeles dropped to 6 - 7 and reside in third place in the Western Conference 's Pacific Division . They head to Denver for a showdown with the Nuggets on Tuesday .


The Utah Jazz ( 7 - 7 ) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers ( 7 - 8 ) 102 - 91 on Wednesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles . Going into halftime tied at 45 , it looked as if this was going to be a grind - it - out , close finish . Instead , the Jazz took control coming out of the half and spoiled the home crowd 's night with an 11 - point victory . The Jazz snapped a two - game losing streak with the victory , while the Clippers have now lost three of their last four outings . Both teams shot the ball well as the Jazz went 51 percent from the field and an impressive 46 percent from the three - point line , while the Clippers finished at 51 percent from the floor and 33 percent from deep . The Jazz had all five starters reach double figures in points . Gordon Hayward led the way , going off for a very efficient 33 points ( 11 - 22 FG , 5 - 7 3Pt , 6 - 8 FT ) , seven rebounds and three steals . He 's really dialed in his shot recently , shooting over 45 percent from the field over his last three games . The 33 points were also a new season - high for the forward . Derrick Favors had solid showing as well , adding 22 points ( 10 - 15 FG , 2 - 2 FT ) and three steals over 33 minutes . He 's now averaging 16 points , 9 rebounds and 2 assists so far this season . Pitching in with a double - double , Rudy Gobert finished with 10 points ( 4 - 4 FG , 2 - 4 FT ) and 11 rebounds . He was in a very tough matchup with All-Star , DeAndre Jordan , but held strong and limited Jordan to just eight points . In injury related news , Trey Burke left with back spasms and was n't able to return . Blake Griffin was one of the lone bright spots for the Clippers , who as a team , recorded a whopping 19 turnovers . Griffin did all he could to put the Clippers on his back , going off for a game - high of 40 points ( 18 - 23 FG , 4 - 5 FT ) , while also adding 12 rebounds and two blocked shots . The double - double marked his second straight Wednesday , as he 's combined for 58 points and 22 rebounds during that stretch . On the season , Griffin is leading his team with averages of 25 points , 9 rebounds and 4 assists per game . Chris Paul was the other starter in double figures , and it seemed like he could n't miss a shot . Paul went an impressive 10 - for - 15 from the field and 2 - for - 2 from beyond the arc for 24 points , to go along with five rebounds and eight assists . Chipping in off the bench , Josh Smith was the only other Clipper who had any success Wednesday , as he added 10 points ( 4 - 7 FG , 1 - 1 3Pt , 1 - 2 FT ) over 16 minutes . The Clippers ' next game will be at home against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday , while the Jazz will be at home against the Pelicans on Saturday .


The Los Angeles Clippers ( 8 - 8 ) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans ( 4 - 12 ) 111 - 90 on Friday . The Clippers looked poised to have a great performance on Friday and they did just that . They were up by 21 points at the half and it was never a contest after that . The difference in the game was as simple as shooting , as the Clippers shot 48 percent while the Pelicans shot just 36 percent . The Pelicans had a nightmare of a game in a nightmare season . Not only did the starters play awful , Anthony Davis left yet again with another injury . It appeared to be some sort of knee injury , but we do n't want to speculate at this juncture . The starting - five was horrendous , as they combined for no blocks , no steals and six assists in the loss . They also scored just 45 points with Davis and Eric Gordon combining for 33 of those . The only bright spot was another strong performance from Ish Smith , who tallied 15 points , 10 assists , four rebounds and two steals in the loss . This is simply a bad team right now and if they do n't have Davis they 're even worse . Whats even worse is that they have to travel to Utah to take on the Jazz in the second half of a back - to - back on Saturday . The Clippers owned the Pelicans in this game , as the starters barely played in the second half . No starter played more than 28 minutes in the win and that 's a good thing considering they play again on Saturday . They got 44 points off the bench , which nearly matched the Pelicans starters . Chris Paul and Blake Griffin were the stars on this evening . Paul accumulated 17 points , eight assists and five rebounds , while Griffin totaled 20 points , six assists and six rebounds . They 'll look to play like this again when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday .


The Los Angeles Clippers ( 9 - 8 ) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves ( 8 - 9 ) 107 - 99 on Sunday . The Clippers led by 11 at the half and it never got much closer than that . Los Angeles did a great job of keeping a six - to - eight point distance from the T'Wolves throughout the second half to hold them off for a much needed win . Both teams shot well in this matchup , as Minnesota shot 45 percent while Los Angeles shot 52 percent . The Clippers starters outscored the Wolves starters 80 - 58 and that proved to be the difference in the game . Minnesota was 6 - 2 on the road coming into this game , but were unable to add to that impressive record . Minnesota had six players score in double - digits , but the problem was that the other five players combined for just eight points , with three of them going scoreless . The T-Wolves were led by Andrew Wiggins once again who dropped 21 points . Zach LaVine also had a nice game filling - in for Ricky Rubio , as he tallied 18 points and seven assists in the defeat . Karl-Anthony Towns was having a very good game through three quarters , but he barely played in the fourth for an unknown reason . Minnesota will take on the Orlando Magic in their next fixture on Tuesday . The Clippers had lost eight of 11 games before their win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday , so this added to that to start a modest two - game winning streak . Los Angeles got some much needed momentum here , as they are far too talented to be hovering around .500 . They were extremely efficient today as a team , as they shot 52 percent and assisted 24 times on 39 baskets . The team was led by a near triple - double from Blake Griffin , who collected 26 points , eight rebounds and eight assists in the win . They also got 20 points and nine assists from Chris Paul and these two will need to play like this going forward if they want to dig out of this hole . They 'll keep digging in a favorable matchup , when they host the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday .


The Los Angeles Clippers ( 10 - 8 ) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers ( 7 - 11 ) 102 - 87 on Monday . There must 've been something in the air , because there were multiple players who left the game with ailments . Damian Lillard did n't return after halftime because of a sickness and Chris Paul left due to a hip issue . There were also a lot of strange occurrences in this game . DeAndre Jordan set a career - high with 34 free - throw attempts and made just 12 for an atrocious percentage . In a battle of potent offenses , both teams struggled mightily , as they both shot 38 percent from the field and neither cracked 60 percent from the free - throw line . It was a battle of two teams playing poorly right now and that trend continued on Monday . The Trail Blazers had to play the second half without Damian Lillard and it 's hard enough to win with him in the lineup for a full game . The team had no starter shoot over 50 percent from the field and that makes it even more difficult to win . It appears Lillard wo n't miss any signifant time and that he should be back within a few days . C.J . McCollum put in the best line by tallying 13 points and 10 assists , but he had the lowest plus - minus with a - 20 . The Blazers will look to bounce - back when they take on the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday . Considering that 's the second half of a back - to - back , Lillard 's status is up in the air until we see how he 's feeling on Tuesday . The Clippers lost Paul yet again in this game , but they were able to close out the Blazers to run away with a needed victory . Jordan had an amazing game , despite the fact that he missed an astounding 22 free - throws . He snatched an incredible 24 boards , while scoring 18 points . It 's a great sight to see him rebounding with such force here with his rebounding numbers regressing this season . Blake Griffin also had another nice game , as he collected 23 points , eight rebounds and six assists in the win . If Paul is to miss any serious time , the Clippers will need these big men to keep contributing like this . Los Angeles will play again on Wednesday when they take on the surging Indiana Pacers .


The Indiana Pacers defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 103 - 91 on Wednesday thanks to another fantastic Paul George performance . This was n't a pretty game by any means , as there were only two true offensive threats on the floor . What won the game for the Pacers was its stellar defense , as they allowed just 62 points after the first quarter . They also held the Clippers to just 38 percent shooting and 22 percent from three - point range . Both teams took 39 free - throws but the Pacers made 32 of them while Los Angeles made just 25 . This marks the sixth - straight win for Indiana as well . The Pacers have been carried by George all season and that was the case again on Wednesday . George tallied 31 points , 10 rebounds , four assists and three steals in yet another great game . He is definitely the favorite for Comeback Player of the Year with the way he is playing right now and will even garner some MVP votes if he keeps this up . Indiana also got double - digit points from three of their bench players , as Jordan Hill , Rodney Stuckey and C.J . Miles combined for 41 points . The Pacers will look to build off this win when they take on the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday in the second half of a back - to - back set . The Clippers had to play this game without Chris Paul and they also lost J.J. Redick in the first minute of this loss . That means that they had to rely on DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin . Both big men had subpar games , as they combined for just 21 points . In fact , all the starters combined for just 34 points in a poor performance . Lance Stephenson had his best game of the season though against his former team , as he collected 19 points , three rebounds and three assists in the defeat . Los Angeles is in a rough stretch right now and things wo n't get better until Paul returns . The Clippers will look to bounce - back when they host the Orlando Magic on Saturday and Paul 's status for that game is unknown at this time .


The Los Angeles Clippers ( 11 - 9 ) defeated the Orlando Magic ( 11 - 8 ) 103 - 101 on Saturday at Staples Center . Jamal Crawford busted out of his shooting slump after scoring 32 points on 10 - of - 19 from the field in the winning effort . Crawford was essential in leading the Clippers ' comeback after trailing 91 - 80 . A pair of 3 - pointers , in addition to a driving , finger roll layup was enough to overtake the lead with just over two minutes remaining in the 4th quarter . Blake Griffin added a clutch jump shot from the free throw line down the stretch and finished with 28 points , 13 rebounds and seven assists in 39 minutes . DeAndre Jordan dominated the glass adding 14 rebounds and 15 points . The Clippers were without point guard Chris Paul ( ribs ) and looked sloppy on the offensive end at times behind fill in starter , Austin Rivers , who contributed five points and four rebounds . The Magic played a pesky defensive game and saw effective performances from young players Victor Oladipo and Elfrid Payton , as the backcourt finished with a combined 45 points . The Magic were unable to get a good look down the stretch and had no answer for Jamal Crawford 's lights out shooting , even after taking a double digit lead in the 4th quarter . Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic added 10 points each , while Channing Frye and Evan Fournier were unable to find a rhythm , finishing with three points and seven points , respectively . Aaron Gordon finished with 10 points in 21 minutes off the bench , to go along with seven rebounds on 5 - of - 8 shooting . The Clippers start a five game road trip when they visit the Minnesota Timberwolves ( 8 - 11 ) on Monday , while the Magic visit the Denver Nuggets ( 8 - 13 ) .


The Los Angeles Clippers ( 16 - 10 ) beat the Milwaukee Bucks ( 10 - 17 ) 103 - 90 on Wednesday . The Clippers have been hot lately and they carried that over here in a game they were supposed to win . They won every single quarter in this game , despite allowing the Bucks to outrebound them . The three - ball was a huge difference , as the Clippers went 11 - for - 21 while the Bucks went just 5 - for - 16 . Milwaukee got the to the line only 11 times in this game and they appeared to be playing tired in the second half of a back - to - back . Milwaukee had a historic win earlier in the week against the undefeated Golden State Warriors , but have lost two - straight since . This team has been a nightmare on the road this season , as they are just 2 - 12 away from the BMO Harris Bradley Center . They played with a new starting - five tonight and they played pretty well all things considered . Khris Middleton , O.J . Mayo , Jabari Parker , and Michael Carter-Williams all started and all scored between 14 and 17 points . It 's clear that no point guard presence in really hurting this offense , as they rank 29th in the NBA in scoring . The Bucks will have an extremely tough task in their next game , as they travel to take on the angry Golden State Warriors on Friday after beating them earlier in the week . The Clippers are playing some of their best basketball of the season right now and it 's nice to see them easily win a game they were supposed to . Chris Paul has been the reason for the recent success and he was the hero on Wednesday . Paul tallied 21 points , eight assists and six rebounds in the win . Blake Griffin also played well , as he amassed 15 points , eight rebounds and five assists . The Clippers have now won nine of their last 11 and they 'll look to keep that momentum going against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday .


The Oklahoma city Thunder ( 19 - 9 ) defeated the host Los Angeles Clippers ( 16 - 13 ) 100 - 99 at Staples Center on Monday thanks to two clutch plays by Kevin Durant in the waning seconds . Durant hit a 19 - footer with 6 seconds remaining to give the Thunder the lead , then blocked a game - winning attempt by Chris Paul at the buzzer to seal the victory . Paul , who totaled 32 points and 10 assists , gave the Clippers a 99 - 98 lead with 10 seconds left on a driving layup , but he could n't overcome Durant , who finished with 24 points , nine rebounds , seven assists and two steals . Russell Westbrook scored a game - high 33 points to lead the Thunder to their 11th win in 14 games . He added seven assists , five rebounds and three steals . Serge Ibaka totaled 17 points and eight rebounds . J.J. Redick and Blake Griffin both scored 15 for the Clippers , who lost their third straight . The Thunder will play again at Staples Center on Wednesday as they face the Los Angeles Lakers , whom they beat by 40 points Saturday . The Clippers ' next game is also against the Lakers , on Christmas .


The Los Angeles Clippers ( 22 - 13 ) throttled the Philadelphia 76ers ( 3 - 33 ) 130 - 99 on Saturday night to extend their season - long winning streak . This looked like a mismatch on paper and that proved to be the case on the court . The Clippers scored at least 27 points in every quarter and took a 29 - point lead into the fourth . They shot an incredible 61 percent from the field in the win and had far too many easy buckets . The starters were also a huge difference , as the Los Angeles starters amassed 72 points while the Sixers starters could only muster up 34 points . Philadelphia came into this game as huge underdogs in the second half of a back - to - back and it was clear they did n't have it tonight . If that does n't make it hard enough , their 3 - 33 record does . They have been playing much more competitive lately , but this game was just one of those road blowouts that has become all too common with this team . Ish Smith led the team with 10 assists and Jahlil Okafor had a nice game off the bench . Okafor tallied 23 points and four rebounds in just 18 minutes of action . The Sixers will take on a fellow lottery contender on Monday when they play the Minnesota Timberwolves in their next game . The Clippers set a season - high tonight with their sixth - straight win and did it in dominating fashion . The starters were actually allowed to sit the final quarter and they could have had monster games if they got a full complement of minutes . Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan were still able to record double - doubles in just three quarters . Paul totaled 15 points and 14 assists , while Jordan provided 22 points and 13 rebounds . Austin Rivers scored a team - high 26 points , with most of that coming in garbage time It 's strange to see this team finally clicking after the injury to Blake Griffin , but they ca n't be any worse when he returns in a few weeks . The Clippers will have some time off until they play the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday in their next game .


The Charlotte Hornets ' ( 17 - 19 ) struggles continued Saturday , as they lost 97 - 83 to the Los Angeles Clippers ( 24 - 13 ) . The Clippers , still without star Blake Griffin ( quad ) , have had no problem keeping up , and are now winners of eight straight . In Griffin 's absence , superstar point guard Chris Paul has elevated his play . Paul posted 25 points to go along with seven rebounds and seven assists in the win over Charlotte . The All-NBA and All-Defense guard was an issue for Charlotte on both ends , not only leading the Clippers in scoring but also holding opposing point guard Kemba Walker to just 4 - for - 16 from the floor . Charlotte big man Al Jefferson ( meniscus ) sat the contest out , allowing LA center DeAndre Jordan to have full control of the glass . Jordan posted a game - high 19 rebounds as well as two steals and four blocks . Charlotte , meanwhile , has fallen out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture after starting hot at 10 - 5 . Charlotte has now lost nine of their last eleven , and in the absence of star center Al Jefferson , these problems could persist . Backup guard Jeremy Lin , however was a bright spot for the Hornets . Lin exploded for 26 points , four rebounds , and four assists . The strong effort was not enough , however , to trump the surging Clippers . Charlotte 's luck could take a turn for the better on Sunday , as they take on the struggling Nuggets . The Clippers seem poised to have their hot streak continue as their next game matches them against the underperforming Pelicans on Sunday .


The Los Angeles Clippers ( 25 - 13 ) needed overtime to defeat the New Orleans Pelicans ( 11 - 25 ) 114 - 111 Sunday at Staples Center . Both teams came into this game missing an all - star . The Pelicans were without Anthony Davis who suffered a back contusion during their last game versus Indiana , when he dove into the crowd after a loose ball . Meanwhile , Blake Griffin has missed the last eight games with a partially torn quadriceps muscle . The Clips have managed to stay undefeated in their eight games without Griffin and have now won nine straight in total . The Clippers were up by as many as 12 early in the fourth quarter but the Pelicans battled back to make it a two - point game with 2:56 to go . Both teams went scoreless from then until J.J Redick hit one of his two free throws , putting the Clippers up by one . New Orleans had the side - inbound and passed it in to Jrue Holiday near the opposing three - point line . Holiday immediately pulled up for a shot as he felt the defense all over him . Holiday was fouled and hit three free throws to tie the game and send it to OT . It was a back and forth overtime period but Chris Paul and Wesley Johnson came up with some clutch shooting to put the game just out of reach and hand the Pelicans their third straight loss . Paul finished the game with a graceful 25 points ( 10 - 18 FG , 3 - 4 3Pt , 2 - 4 FT ) , 11 assists and five rebounds , in 40 minutes . Six other players scored in double digits for the Clippers including Jamal Crawford , who dropped 21 ( 8 - 16 FG , 3 - 7 3Pt , 2 - 2 FT ) , along with three rebounds and two assists , in 31 minutes off the bench . DeAndre Jordan had a double - double with 12 points and 11 rebounds . Wesley Johnson chipped in 15 points , five steals , four rebounds and two assists , in 33 minutes off the bench . Jrue Holiday was huge for New Orleans as he filled it up with a game - high 29 points ( 11 - 27 FG ) , along with 11 rebounds , four assists , and three steals , in 33 minutes off the bench . Tyreke Evans was huge as well , with 26 points ( 9 - 19 FG ) , seven rebounds and seven assists , in 40 minutes . Ryan Anderson had a double - double with 16 points and 10 rebounds , in 42 minutes off the bench . The Pelicans will stay in L.A. and wait to play the Lakers on Tuesday , while the Clippers will have a few days off before hosting Miami on Wednesday .


The Los Angeles Clippers ( 26 - 13 ) defeated the Miami Heat ( 22 - 17 ) 104 - 90 , at Staples Center in Los Angeles , CA on Wednesday . The Clippers came into this game on a nine - game winning streak but none of those wins came against a team with a record better than .500 . The Heat came in having lost three of their last four and in the midst of a six - game road trip , which put them in a tough spot against the streaking Clippers . Now the Clippers boast a 10 - game win streak , which includes one win against a formidable opponent , while the Heat are 1 - 3 on their road trip and have dropped four of their last five . The Clippers dominated the second half of the game , during which they outscored Miami 59 - 38 . DeAndre Jordan sat this one out at the last minute due to illness but Cole Aldrich did a fantastic job filling in at the center position . Aldrich led the team in scoring with 19 points ( 7 - 14 FG , 5 - 7 FT ) , along with seven rebounds and three assists , in 24 minutes . Chris Paul finished with a double - double consisting of 15 points ( 6 - 17 FG , 2 - 3 3Pt ) and 12 assists , as well as six rebounds and four steals , in 30 minutes . Paul Pierce chipped in a solid 15 points ( 6 - 10 FG . 3 - 7 3Pt ) and nine rebounds , in 21 minutes The Clips kept the turnovers to a minimun , with eight . Miami gave up a horrid 24 turnovers , a problem which contributed to the Clippers getting 24 more field goal attempts in the game . Gerald Green was solid in 32 minutes off the bench , with 19 points ( 7 - 14 FG , 4 - 8 3Pt ) , two rebounds , one assist and one steal . Dwyane Wade finished with 16 points ( 6 - 10 FG , 4 - 9 FT ) , eight rebounds and four assists , however he also tallied an awful seven turnovers . Hassan Whiteside played limited minutes due to a sore knee . He finished with a double - double 10 points and 11 rebounds , in 26 minutes off the bench . The Heat will move on to Devner for the fifth game of their current six - game road trip , on Friday . The Clippers will look to extend their win streak when they host the Kings on Saturday .


The Sacramento Kings ( 17 - 23 ) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers ( 26 - 14 ) at Staples Center on Saturday , 110 - 103 . Sacramento battled through foul trouble early on , but shot lights out from the behind the arc to sink the Clippers and their 10 game winning streak . The importance of 3 - point shooting continues to surge in the NBA , and efficient shooting from deep is becoming a sure fire way to stop even the best of teams . The Kings finished 52 percent from the 3 - point line , knocking down 13 treys on route to a tough road win . Omri Casspi nailed five threes , adding 17 points in 30 minutes off the bench . DeMarcus Cousins went into beast mode during the first half , and was unstoppable on the glass and in the paint . As the game progressed to the second half , Cousins picked up three fouls in the 3rd quarter , which dented his strong overall performance . The Kings center finished with 19 points , 13 rebounds , six assists and two blocks on 6 - of - 14 shooting . Rudy Gay added to an impressive streak of five games ( 22 points per game and 7 rebounds per game ) , totalling 18 points and seven rebounds . Rajon Rondo brought his 20/20 court vision and dropped another double - double , as he finished with 13 points and 10 assists . The Kings will continue to battle for a playoff spot in the Western Conference when they visit the Los Angeles Lakers ( 9 - 33 ) on Wednesday . While the Clippers have been playing extraordinarily well without Blake Griffin ( quad ) and DeAndre Jordan ( illness ) , the continued absence took full effect at home on Saturday . The 3 - point shots were guarded well by the Kings , and the long ball was the Clippers key to success throughout the streak . JJ Reddick and Chris Paul led the way from deep and finished with 22 points and 15 points , respectively . and combined to go with 8 - of - 14 shooting from 3 - point territory . Cole Aldrich has stepped up in the absence of the all - star front court for the Clippers and added another big performance when they need it most . Aldrich scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds , and the extended playing time has seen improved pick - and - roll play between him and Chris Paul , while also playing a role in opening up JJ Reddick and Paul Pierce to roam around and find better looks . The Clippers will look to bounce back when they host the Houston Rockets ( 21 - 20 ) on Monday .